The Smell of Vodka
by FallingBreathless
Summary: With Ivan's alcohol problem now in the past, Yao and Ivan are happy together. But when business partner, Alfred is drawn to Yao, tempers flare and relationships strain as Yao must discover what it is that he truly needs...or wants. Corporate Hetalia.
1. An Average Morning

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter I: An Average Morning**

**By: FallingBreathless**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia:Axis Powers nor any of the characters. All resemblances to actual people or events are completely coincidental._

_Warning: For mature audiences... Yaoi _

_[if you don't know what this means, then you probably shouldn't be reading.] _

* * *

"Ah...ouch..Oh God!" The climax hit and two bodies collapsed together in the early morning sun.

"Yao. I love you," whispered the bigger of the two men in a hoarse voice.

The smaller of the two could only smile in response. Yao was pretty sure that his voice was gone. The Russian snuggled next to him had kept him up the entire night, and Yao still had to work that day.

"Come on, Ivan. Time to wake up. I've still got to go to work, aru."

Ivan Braginski was a tall blond with the most particular violet eyes and had a strong liking to Yao, vodka, his metal pipe, and sunflowers.

"No. I don't want you to," Ivan pouted childishly. "Stay here with me, da." As much as the other wanted to, (he would never admit it though), Yao _HAD _to go to work that day.

"Sorry, I've got a big deal I've got to get today," Yao said, sitting up. Ouch, his backside was sore. He'd have to have a talk with Ivan later that night about how much he could and couldn't handle.

"It's with that damn American isn't it?" demanded the Russian, moving to embrace his love. Yao colored at the intimacy.

"Yes, aru. His name is Alfred, okay? It's really important." Ivan didn't loosen his embrace, and Yao got a little redder.

Yao knew that that Ivan did not like Alfred but business was business and the American company bought many of the movies and commercials Yao's company had designed. After a second, Ivan reluctantly let go of Yao because he loved Yao too much to make the Chinese man unhappy. However, if the American bastard did anything to his Yao, all the vodka in the world wouldn't stop his metal pipe from driving itself into the bastard's skull.

"When are you going to be home," Ivan asked, smiling as he watched his Yao embarrassingly cover himself with the bedsheets, staggering sorely for the bathroom.

"I expect around seven or so," Yao replied.

Ivan sighed. Yao still would not rely on him. He had mentioned supporting Yao a couple of times already, but the other always found away around it. His Yao was too self-reliant, but that's why Ivan loved him.

"Zai Jian, Ivan," Yao yelled as he all but ran out the door. "Also if you get hungry, there's food in the fridge aru!"

Ivan chuckled. Yao still thought that he couldn't feed himself. Anyways he was glad for Yao's attention. Making his way downstairs, Ivan reached for the vodka he'd stored in the cupboard and frowned. His Yao had asked him not to drink so much in case the bondage incident should happen again. That was a disaster. In his drunken frenzy, Ivan had actually tied his Yao to the bed and had fucked him senseless. It was the American who'd actually gone to Yao's rescue. Guilt stabbed at Ivan's abdomen, and he quickly put the vodka back out of sight and out of mind. The things he did for love.

Meanwhile, Yao was definitely late for work. He glanced at his watch as a cab stopped in front of him. He was going to be at least 10 minutes late and his coworker, Arthur Kirkland, was going to have a cow or whatever the British had. The cab pulled to a stop and Yao quickly put on his business air. It wasn't too hard since he was already wearing a sleek black suit and tie. Stepping out, he was immediately spotted by a blond through the large glass walls of the first floor.

"You're late. Don't worry I had you covered, jeez," Arthur muttered as Yao walked into the lobby. Yao smiled. Arthur was always the gentleman, albeit hotheaded.

"Thanks again."

The other turned away embarrassed and mutter a reluctant, "Your welcome." Then, Arthur cleared his throat and quickly got to business.

"Anyways, you have a meeting with Alfred from the LIBERTY company in 20 minutes." He said rolling his eyes at the name of the company. Yao had to agree. American nationalism at its finest. However, Yao chose not to voice his own opinion, as the Brit continued on. "Oh, and before you go there, could you do me a favor?"

This was a first and Yao felt a bit taken aback. "Um, what kind of favor aru?"

"Could you stop by Kiku's office and give him this?" Arthur pressed a folded note into Yao's hands. "Tell him that, it's from...um...from...me." Yao was amazed. Sure he had suspected that Arthur had, had a thing for the secretary but they way he was blushing tomato red at the moment was confirmation.

"A- Sure, I'll help you out on this one," said Yao still in shock. Arthur's head jerked up. He looked like he just had his birthday early.

"Thanks. I owe you one. This means a lot to me mate."

Yao smiled. "Let's call it even aru."

With that, Yao took the note and disappeared into the elevator.

While waiting for his floor, Yao found the time to think about what had just happened. He had already guessed that the Brit was serious about Kiku. He wondered how the recipient of the letter would react. Knowing Kiku, he'd do just about the same thing as Arthur did, blush and stutter. Yao smiled inwardly, that would be fun to watch. It wasn't that Yao hated Kiku or anything, but there was a rift between the two of them over a certain stock incident. And some bitter feelings still remained. The door dinged and Yao exited the elevator compartment. Instead of turning right and going straight to his office like he normally did, he took a left. Fourth door too the right was Kiku's.

The door was open, but he knocked anyways.

"Come in."

Yao strolled into the office and quickly took out Arthur's message. The other Asian guy had removed his reading glasses, startled. Kiku set down his glasses and looked questionably at Yao. Why was Yao in his office? Kiku was caught off guard, and he didn't like it one bit. His room was unsightly.

"Oh, Yao-san it's you," Kiku said making his voice casual, like they visited each other all the time. "How are you doing? Here have a seat, and please excuse the the mess." They used to be like brothers and Yao being there was nostalgic. Yao cleared his throat. Kiku hadn't changed much, and seeing him this close was awkward.

"Yeah, Kiku. Sorry, I'm not really here to visit aru. Arthur wanted me to give this to you." Yao said handing the letter over to Kiku's extended hand. Kiku glanced at it and set it aside. He wasn't interested in the hotheaded British downstairs. Plus, he'd gotten messages from the guy before and the man's handwriting was illegible. What interested him at the moment was Yao.

"Is that the only reason you are visiting?"

Yao had been leaving when that question had completely caught him off guard. He stopped walking and leaned against the door frame. That was a weird question. He didn't know quite what to say; he didn't know what the other meant by the question.

"Yes, aru. It is," Yao said turning back around. Then feeling too harsh he added, "I am glad to see you're doing well. And once again I'm going to tell you that there is no mess. You were always the neat freak aru."

Sitting behind his wooden desk, Kiku was shocked. Paralyzed by the moment, Kiku mechanically gave Yao a goodbye. As Yao left and disappeared from view, Kiku felt the distinct feel of opportunity. Maybe he still had a shot with making things right with Yao.

Yao left feeling deeply shocked. It was too late to take back what he'd said so blushing he had quickly left for his own office. The note he had delivered had just been his excuse to check up on Kiku. Kiku hadn't even cared about Arthur's note. Yao felt stupid. He'd fallen back into the easy talk of the old times, times when Kiku didn't want to kill him. He sighed when he got into his office, a small retreat at work. He'd have that meeting to go to in a few minutes.

* * *

**And so the first chapter ends... **

**I hope that you guys will enjoy the story. I wanted to put the characters of Hetalia into the modern times, because that's where we're living. I love the pairing ChinaXRussia, but being a bit of a sadist I might add some angst. So look forward to some twists. I also enjoy the relationships between all of the Asian characters because there is so much history behind them all. As a result, I wanted to depict the complicated relationship between China and Japan. It's really sad actually. **

**Hopefully, the pace will pick up in the second chapter. **

**Also since this story is in the works, reviews would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading and your continuing support!**


	2. A Meeting in Progress

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter II: A Meeting in Progress**

**By: FallingBreathless**

* * *

Inside the meeting room 5 minutes later...

The meeting room was typical: large table, plenty of seats, and a screen for displays. Yao was familiar with this. There were only two or three others that were already seated including Arthur who beckoned to him. Smiling in spite of himself, he plopped down next to the Brit.

As Yao sat down, Arthur Kirkland was clearly fidgety. He kept glancing at the big blond seated across the table and the smaller, spazzing secretary beside said blond. Yao thought he remembered their names. They were Ludwig and...what was the other...? Feliciano Vargas or something. However, Arthur did not give Yao time to wonder. He had surveyed the two and had found them not to be a threat. Leaning in conspiratorially, he whispered frantically into Yao's ear.

"W-what did Kiku say? Did he say anything? What was his response? Did he say?" Yao mentally rolled his eyes. Arthur was so predictable. Instead, Yao smiled back.

"No, he didn't say anything. I left before he opened the note. I didn't know that you wanted me there when he read the letter aru."

"Oh." Arthur paused. "Well, okay then...so what do you think he'll say?" So much for predictability. Yao stared at the Brit. He wanted to scream "How the heck would I know? I haven't spoken to Kiku in a few _years _until today!" But, Yao was used to handling people and stressful situations.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure what he'll say. However, I'm sure that everything will work out in the end aru. They always do."

Arthur had gone quiet. He knew that he was being unreasonable to the max. It was just that he was infatuated with Kiku and he really wanted to know what the other thought. He sighed.

"Thanks Yao. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."

Yao genuinely smiled at this because he perfectly understood what the other meant. They had their differences in tastes and values but they were made of the same material. They'd both gone through some bad past relationships and had complex family problems. So they needed each other sometimes to calm down and relax, that was usually when they would hit a nice cafe and spend some time reading and sipping tea.

"The same on my end aru. The same."

By then, the meeting room was already nearly filled. Only two seats were empty. Yao looked around taking accessory. Arthur, Blond accountant manager, Feliciano the accountant/secretary, Im Yong Soo, his distant cousin and the sales manager, Francis Bonnefoy the French movie director, Matthew the Canadian makeup artist, Xiang the outfit director, Kiku a secretary, Juan the cast director, and...that was it. Two empty seats left meant that they were missing Antonio the commercial adviser, and Alfred Jones himself, the very person as to why everyone was gathered in the room.

Time ticked and everyone grew uncomfortable waiting. Everyone knew that Antonio wouldn't be there he was on vacation in southern Italy at the moment, so it was just the big-shot American. Yao himself couldn't even help growing impatient. If he knew that Alfred was going to be this late, he could have stayed at home for at least another twenty minutes with Ivan. Waiting was excruciating.

Francis was groping the Canadian; beside him Arthur was making goo-goo eyes at Kiku, who was turning red in either indignation or embarrassment; across Feliciano had fallen asleep, Im Yong Soo was spouting loud Korean to his cell, and Juan was openly smoking. The only sane people in the room seemed to be Ludwig, Xiang and himself. Yao sighed and forced himself to think happy thoughts, happy thoughts. He wondered how Ivan was doing over at the Hospital.

xxx

After Yao had left, Ivan had decided to go to work too. He called the hospital and told a nervous Toris, who answered, to tell the others to be expecting him. With that, he had hung up and had shrugged on his newly laundered white hospital coat and left the house. He couldn't wait until tonight when his Yao would get home. The sunflowers that he had planted were already in full bloom and Ivan had something special planned. Just thinking about it gave him a spring in his step. Which, went unnoticed by Ivan, scared the heck out of all that saw him. He was a big Russian after all.

When he got to the hospital, Ivan marched right in with a beaming smile [that frankly almost made Toris almost wet his pants in fright].

"H-hello," Toris greeted half heartedly.

"Hello! Toris," Ivan responded cheerily. He was in such a good mood that even Toris looked less scared of him. "How are you and your family doing?"

Toris Lorinaitis didn't know what to make of Ivan today. Certainly, the other looked in a good mood. Feeling relatively safe, Toris meekly responded.

"We're doing well."

Toris had two younger brothers he was in charge of. Ivan having met them both before, and had left them scared messes. The Russian usually meant well enough, but when he was annoyed or god-forbid angry, that meant lots of blood and pain. The guy was a bit psycho. However, Toris felt that today he could be a little bolder in front of this man. "Um..." He started. Ivan lifted an eyebrow. This was new. "Can I ask why you are in such a good mood today?"

Ivan was rarely asked questions besides those from Yao who he loved and Alfred who he hated with a passion. He found this refreshing and plus he wanted to tell someone of his great plans.

"Ah! You noticed, da? Okay, I'll tell you! Tonight I have a special surprise planned for Yao. I'm going to be cooking him dinner and we are going to enjoy the sunflowers together."

Just then, Feliks walked into the waiting room and spotted Ivan.

"Hey, Yo! Like where in the world have you been?" Instantly Ivan felt his mood darken. Feliks didn't notice. "You're like late. Why can't you like never be here on time? It's like making me angry."

"I'm here now, da." Ivan replied, wishing he had brought his metal pipe with him. Too bad that pipes and other weapons had been banned from the hospital, because he had an extreme dislike of the girly-guy. Plus, the other was completely unafraid of him.

The other just rolled his eyes and gave an over-the-top, "What ev-ah!" and sauntered out of sight. That only made Ivan more pissed. He wanted vodka. Bad. But, he fought down the urge and headed for the surgery room, without a glance back at Toris.

As he watched the Russian leave the room, Toris gave an instinctual sigh. Thank goodness for Feliks, and more than once Toris felt a mix of pity and awe for the one named Yao. He had never met the man, but Toris was sure that anyone who could put up with Ivan was a god.

xxx

A good hour had passed in the meeting room before the American LIBERTY company spokesman arrived. Everyone was basically half-dead, and Yao was enjoying tea when the American entered the room in a hurricane of energy.

"Hey, sorry I am early! I was booked for American Airlines, but they decided to change my ticket for some reason. But I'm here!" Alfred announced, as he took a seat and continued as if everything was Honky Dorky. The rest of the room was in shocked silence. Yao, as the spokesperson for Filmari, was the first to break the silence.

"You're late, Alfred."

Alfred had been drinking a cola that he'd brought himself when Yao accused him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, completely lost. He had been sure that...

"Alfred," Yao said cutting into the other's thoughts. "The meeting was supposed to be at ten-"

"Damn bastard, you're an hour late. Always late!" Arthur cut in adding a few indignant gestures. "I can't believe I am related to you."

"I can." Francis added snidely.

"How, you perverted Frenchman? Huh?" Arthur immediately demanded. Bad idea.

"You both wear those tacky clothes," Francis retorted pointing at Alfred's leather jacket and Arthur's suspenders. "They are sooooo last century. Also your food stinks but that's probably all Arthur's fault. Perdon mon amour." He added as a finish. "Also I am not a pervert."

By then Arthur had gone scarlet...no...more maroon and Alfred was pouting. Yao sighed. He knew what was coming.

"What you perverted, long-haired, clothes freak!" Arthur shouted standing up. "Why don't we take this outside, huh?"

"Ah, mon amour. Always the gentleman." The other taunted in response.

"Damn you! You bas-"

"That's enough!" Yao had slammed his hands onto the table and the three were silenced. Yao didn't get mad easily, years with siblings had ingrained patience into him. So when Yao did get angry...many could see why he was in charge. "Stop bickering. Alfred you're late. I don't care why. Also Arthur, Francis, if you want to fight take it outside, NOW!"

Yao sat down, and returned to his tea, leaving the floor open.

"Let's just start. Water under the bridge, no?" said the French director beating a hasty retreat. Arthur grumbled.

"Fine." And then dropped back into his seat with a huff. Seeing everyone settled down at last, Yao continued on.

"Anyways," said Yao. "Let's just start the meeting."

Across Ludwig, pulled out a black briefcase, and nodded at Yao.

"Agreed. Let's start, I have here with me the monthly spendings..."

* * *

**Thanks again for reading! Don't worry, the plot will soon thicken. Dum dum dum!**

**Right now, I'm working on setting up the scene, laying the ground work. I want solid characters and leave small hints as to how their relationships are before I start mixing things up. Yes, I'm playing as God for this story. **

**I've been wondering something recently, does Ivan love Yao more than vodka? Okay, maybe that was phrased wrong. Can Ivan's love for Yao overcome vodka's grips on him? I've heard of dozens of stories about relationships and families being destroyed by alcohol, so I want to portray Ivan with his fight against the demon. I also want to portray America as kind of bipolar in a sense. I want him to be one of those people who are very intelligent, but on the other hand seem really, really dumb. Think of the kid who sat next to you in math class. The one that got 100s on every test but couldn't find a date if their life depended on it. Anyways, at least America and surely find a date no problem. Alfred is the one who really needs to work on pleasing the ladies...er...Kiku.**

**Also PS, Xiang is Hong Kong. In Chinese, his name is pronounced Xiang Gang. And 'mon amour' means 'My Love.'**

**Please review!**


	3. Post Meeting Lunch

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter III: Post-Meeting Lunch**

**By: FallingBreathless**

* * *

After less than an hour, the meeting was over. It had been a fairly easy decision on both parties. LIBERTY was going to cooperate in Filmari's next film. Frankly, the meeting hadn't even been necessary. Alfred had burned an hour of everyone's time by getting the time mixed up, when the actual meeting only took half and hour. Yao swore that the American was sometimes completely useless.

Anyways, it was lunch time and everyone had been all but eager to leave the room, leaving Yao to gather up the stray papers. Alfred also lingered behind. Yao gave him no notice as he efficiently gathered up the documents and created a neat pile. He would seriously consider cutting some people from the meetings. It was insane. Feliciano had fallen asleep, Xiang and Matthew rarely said anything what so ever, and Im Yong Soo wouldn't shut up. He had wasted 10 minutes debating how he'd created show biz. Yao sighed again. His life was stressful and surrounded by idiots. Nearby, Alfred spoke up.

"Yao, are you angry at me?" Yao was surprised by this sudden question.

"What? Why aru?"

"I was late for the meeting," He said, sounding like a guilty little kid. Yao felt himself smile a bit. Even though Ivan hated Alfred so much, they were similar. Hm...maybe that's why the two never got along. They found themselves too troublesome to deal with. Yao chuckled at that thought.

"You're thinking of Ivan again, aren't you?" The question stopped Yao's chuckling.

"Why are you bringing Ivan up?" Yao asked suspiciously. The other gave a gesture that could have meant anything or nothing. Yao felt embarrassed. "If it's about last time, then I'm fine aru. I appreciate your help. It really wasn't a big deal."

"What do you mean it wasn't a 'big deal'?" The American demanded with a seriousness Yao didn't believe the other capable of. "That bastard was so hung up over his fucking vodka that he could have killed you." Yao, didn't know what to say. What the American didn't say meant more.

"Ivan's getting better. He hasn't touched vodka since the 'incident'."

"Shit. That doesn't mean he won't again..." Alfred added darkly. "He's psychopath and you shouldn't have to put up with it." Yao colored. Sure Ivan could be a bit unstable at times, but he could also be very sweet and unbelievably innocent. He took a deep breath.

"Look, Alfred. Ivan loves me, and I chose to stay with him. It's my choice, okay? Let's just it go aru." The other sighed.

"Fine. I won't mention it anymore if you don't want me to." Yao smiled.

"Thanks aru."

Yao could see that Alfred wanted to add more, but then Im Yong Soo bounced into the room.

"Aniki~!" And suddenly Yao felt his spine creak as Yong Soo glomped him. Yao, punched his younger cousin affectionately on the head in response. The other let go, if only momentarily.

"Ouch...that hurt Aniki." Yong Soo whined, rubbing the sore spot.

"Who are you calling 'Aniki' aru?" Yao demanded.

"Yao is Aniki of course!" replied the other steadfast and once again clinging to Yao. Yao tried to pry the other off to no avail, while Alfred stood aside grinning his head off.

"Get off me now, aru!" shouted Yao in vain. "Also I am your cousin. Not your brother!"

The taller of the two pouted, and let go of the other. "Yao, just to let you know. I invented the word 'Aniki' so I of course know what it means!" And with that Yao found himself being half-dragged, half-pulled by Yong Soo to the cafeteria.

xxx

On the other side, Ivan was on lunch break too. He was sitting at a small round table with Toris and two others whom he didn't care about enough to know their names. His Yao had packed him lunch, and he was once again in a good mood. That morning he'd had to perform three emergency surgeries and two normal ones. One man had been hit by a car, there had been a lot of glass to remove, and another had been a lady who had been stabbed by her 19 year-old son. Ivan had done his best, and both were likely to survive. The other emergency surgery hadn't been quite as interesting.

"So, Ivan I hear that you're leaving before third shift, that's new." Ivan turned his attention to the overweight guy to his right.

"Da," he replied, bored.

"Really," asked Toris. "Is it for Yao?"

"Da, it is." Ivan replied, unable to resist chuckling a "Kolkolkol...".

He would go home early set everything up and Yao would be so surprised. Ivan could feel his blood sing with excitement. Only a few hours more and he'd be home, setting up. He knew that his Yao would love it. Ivan planned to cook them dinner, which was rare, then they'd watch a documentary on Pandas, and lastly cuddle with him as the sun would disappear behind the horizon, and then maybe something more.

"Sounds fun. I hope it goes well," added the voluptuous red head sitting across. "That Yao must be one happy girl."

They all laughed at that, and Ivan didn't feel the need to clarify. Yes, Yao would be happy.

xxx

In the middle of lunch, Yao sneezed. "That was weird," he thought. Alfred who sat beside him glanced over.

"You sick?" He asked.

"Eh? Aniki's sick?" Yong Soo cried, shooting up from his seat.

"Me, sick?" Yao asked, bemuse. "No. The only reason I'd be sick is seeing you eat that, Alfred. That's not food."

"You know he's right," Francis added, pointing at Alfred's burger. "That is a sad excuse for food."

Yao had of course packed fried rice and and a side of vegetables and fish. Bonnefoy on the other hand had also packed a gourmet meal of French lasagna with bread.

"What?" shouted Alfred in outrage. "This my friends is the great American burger, direct from America. It's big, bold beef with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese. Only the most awesome of people can handle it!"

"He's right," Yong Soo agreed. "Cause of course, everyone knows that-"

"Shuddap, you git!" Arthur muttered around his lettuce, liver, and mustard sandwich. "All I see is grease. It looks terrible."

"-burgers were NOT invented by me," Yong Soo ended roughly.

To this, Francis burst out laughing. The Frenchman was holding his middle to keep from splitting. He had his other arm looped around Matthew's waist. Funny, Yao hadn't noticed Matthew was sitting with them...but then again...not noticing the pale blond wasn't something new. Arthur scowled.

"What is up with you nitwits?"

"Hey, Matthew. Did you hear that?" asked the Frenchman. The receiver of the question stopped eating and was startled by the unexpected attention, but before he could say anything Alfred had answered.

"Of course he heard it! Arthur, since when did you learn to cook?"

Arthur went scarlet. "S-shut up! I can cook. And you know that very well."

That was a lie and Yao knew it. Apparently, so did the others. Eventually, Arthur ended up threatening Francis with death before everything settled down.

"Damn it," Arthur sighed, eventually releasing Francis' shirt collar. "I'm not in the mood for this."

"Hm?" Yao asked, as he split half of his fried rice with Xiang. "What's wrong with you Arthur?"

"Yeah, yeah," agreed Francis. "This is not like you. It actually makes you seem like a frail, English prissy-boy." He paused. "Oh wait. You are one. Never mind." What was weird was that Arthur didn't even notice the bait. Something was seriously wrong.

"It's Kiku."

"Oh geez..." Alfred sighed. "You still like him? It's been what, months? You're worse than me and crack. You see-"

Yao shot Alfred a glare, and Alfred shut up. Yao swore that the American had issues, more than just crack. Yao never knew when Alfred was serious or joking. Ug...Americans. Arthur decided to ignore his cousin.

"He didn't do anything!"

Yao was shocked.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Arthur turned on Yao. "No, damn it. It's not a good thing. He's not even acknowledging me! My god damned love letters mean nothing to him!" Yao didn't know what to say.

"Look," Francis offered, a trifle curious about the letters. "Your letters may not have worked. But there are plenty of pretty fish in this sea. I'm sure that you'll end up with a big one, mon amour." Arthur didn't respond, and things got awkward.

"Well..." Alfred added. "Um, why don't I run and go grab us a few beers. Arthur, you look like you need one."

With that, the American beat a retreat. Yao shook his head in disappointment, now it was his turn to say something.

"Um Arthur," Yao started, clearing his throat. "Kiku's just difficult. He's always been aru. He's like that with everyone."

Arthur sniffled. "You think?"

"Of course it's true, da~ze!" Yong Soo cut in. "Take my word on it!"

"Thanks," Arthur replied as Alfred came back with a 12 pack of beer. Alfred set it down with a thud at the middle of the table.

"Yo, call me hero Cuz."

"Yeah, right I will," Arthur acknowledged, hand reaching for a beer. "Right, after you come to my house for tea."

Alfred gagged. "Never mind."

Then as unprofessionaly as possible, Arthur began downing his beer.

* * *

**Hahaha. Okay, I know that they're at work. Terrible work ethnic. Anyways, what else can you do to comfort a man who's lovesick? Don't answer that please. Anyways, the plot has thickened! I won't talk anymore lest I ruin the story for you. Also I noticed that there was some mix up between translation. Super thanks for mentioning it! :D So I fixed that up.**

**Thanks again for reading! Reading reviews really makes my day!**


	4. Strange Actions

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter IV: Strange Actions**

**By: FallingBreathless**

* * *

Over at another table, Kiku sat with Ludwig, Feliciano, and Juan. Kiku was managing to watch the others over at the other table as well as keep a conversation with his table. It really wasn't hard to do. He was usually quiet and so the others really never expected him to be great conversation in the first place. In fact, most of the times Kiku spoke was because Feliciano had asked him yet another ridiculous question. The last one had been about whether you could have pasta onigiri.

"Kiku?"

Kiku jerked back his attention to his table. It was Ludwig.

"Hai, what is it?" he asked. Had he been found out?

"You were zoning out again," the accountant said a bit concerned. "Feliciano just asked you a question. Go ahead," Ludwig then added to the other secretary.

"Ne, ne, Kiku." Feliciano started, with his in-a-daze voice. "I was wondering...can you have pasta sushi, or Pocky? If so where can I get some...?"

Ludwig was the one now tuning out as Kiku responded to the other's question with calculated vagueness. Ludwig wasn't an accountant for nothing. He noticed a lot of minor details. He could have sworn that earlier Kiku had been enraptured with the commotion over at the other lunch table. He glanced over to see what was happening.

At the other table Alfred, Arthur and Francis were busy getting drunk. Ludwig frowned in disapproval. Francis was holding his own, while Arthur was already in a drunk stupor. Luckily, Filmari's spokesperson was abstaining from the alcohol. He wondered why Kiku would care so much. The other was usually quiet and emotionless. Anyways, it wasn't any of his business.

"Hey Ludwig," Feliciano asked beside him. "I heard Kiku has a crush on Arthur, is it true?" Ludwig colored, quickly glancing over at the unperturbed Kiku.

"Um, I think you're asking the wrong person," he responded, catching Kiku's eye. "Don't you think it'd be better just to ask the person."

The small Italian guy seemed to think it over before turning to Kiku.

"Hey, Kiku. Nee, is it true?"

Kiku stiffened. The guy was so direct, and more than once Kiku questioned again whether the guy was really smart or really, really, REALLY dumb. He coughed.

"Let's talk about this another time. Lunch is over anyways," Kiku said, keeping up his facade. Ludwig frowned, lunch was indeed over. However, he had expected a straightaway answer. It was obvious that Kiku had no interest what so ever in Kirkland, but why didn't he just say so? He wondered what the guy was calculating.

"Aw..." Feliciano complained. Ludwig sighed.

"Come on, Feliciano. Time to go, you can go bother Kiku again later." Feliciano wailed.

"Ludwig, you're a meanie! I don't bother Kiku!" he cried, making the accountant feel like he had just abused a puppy. Then as if to confirm that fact, Feliciano turned to Kiku. "I don't bother you, right ne?"

"Of course not," Kiku said smiling as he waved the three goodbye and headed to his office. Ludwig and Feliciano also left, leaving only Juan at the table.

"Ellos son locos. No, son divertidos," sighed the Spanish as he too left. Seriously, those guys were weird. But then again as he put on his sombrero, he was too.

xxx

"Damn it. Even that bloody bell is laughing at me..." Arthur cried back at the table.

"No shit." Alfred replied.

"That's because you two idiots drank so much aru!" Yao said disapprovingly, as he studied the empty cans.

He sighed [he'd better quit sighing lest it becomes a permanent habit]. Arthur was a complete sobbing mess, and Alfred was getting rowdy. Great, now he'd have to cover for two drunks for the rest of the day. "Anyways," he continued turning on Francis. "Why aren't you drunk too?"

"Ah," Francis winked. "Now that is a secret, mon amour." Yao felt uncomfortable on being addressed so and grimaced a smile in response. Looking at the guy, Yao wasn't so sure that the other was indeed sober or not. Plus, the French guy was giving off creepy vibes.

"Hey, don't hit on Yao like that. Only I have the right to hit on Aniki, da~ze!" Yong Soo protested.

"Oh, now why is that?" asked Francis, lifting a brow.

"That's obvious! Because his breasts be-"

"That's enough!" Yao cut in tersely. He did not want to have to have the "I don't have breasts" talk with his cousin again. "Anyways, lunch is over so back to work aru."

"Damn," hiccuped Alfred. "You really are a bloody slave driver."

"You have got that right," Francis agreed.

"I don't care. Back to work aru!" Yao said firmly. There was no point in arguing with drunks. Francis gave a half-crazy cackle before he lurched up from his seat.

"Adieu, mon amours...Fare thee well," he said as he departed, dragging an apologetic and blushing Matthew in tow. At that point, Yao also realized that Yong Soo had also sneaked away.

Yao muttered under his breath. 'Damn them. Skipping out on cleaning this mess that they made aru.'

Those two were such slackers, but then again as Yao gazed at the retreating backs of Arthur and Alfred swaying drunkenly left and right... He made a mental note to have a firm talk with Alfred after the other was sober. He quickly started gathering up the empty containers and started depositing them into the nearest trash can. As he reached for a stray can under the table, Yao was surprised to see another hand grab it before him. Standing up he saw that Xiang was still there.

"Thanks, Xiang," Yao beamed. Xiang nodded a silent response as he continued to help Yao.

Within minutes, the place was clean and Yao smiled inwardly. Thank god for Xiang. Yao had knew Xiang for as long as he could remember...in fact Xiang was in every one of his memories back to the days when Kiku and Yong Soo played over at his house. Xiang had always been present. He was quiet and hard to understand, but he was one of the few people Yao could always count on no matter what. "Finally, we are done aru."

"Yes," the other replied, voice deep and as calm as ever.

"Well, I will see you later then, Xiang," Yao waved as he started for his office.

"Wait, Yao." Yao turned back unexpectedly. Had he forgotten something?

"What is it aru?" Yao asked curiously. Xiang met Yao's beautiful brown eyes for a second and then looked away.

"I know I'm in no position to say this to you," he started. Yao waited patiently; it was rare for Xiang to start a conversation. "I think you should stay away from Alfred."

Yao blinked. That wasn't what he had been suspecting. He had thought Xiang was going to ask him for input for the color scheme for the new commercial or something like that. Certainly not to give him relationship advice.

"Can ask why you think so, Xiang?"

"Because I don't want to see you hurt," Xiang replied reflexively. As much as Yao was touched by his words, the question remained unanswered.

"Xiang, you are not making sense aru."

In Xiang's mind, he was screaming. It was so frustrating that he had to be the one to tell Yao. But then again, who else could Yao hear from? As popular as Yao was he didn't have many people he could confide in. Yong Soo was too loud, Arthur was too besotted, and Alfred- well he just wanted to get into Yao's pants. That left him to warn Yao. Yao wouldn't like it one bit, and Xiang didn't want to hurt him. But he had to. He had to.

"It's Ivan," he said, as calm as usual. "I'm afraid he's going to hurt you if you get to close to the American."

Yao's mouth went dry.

"Ivan would never hurt me," he lied, mostly to himself. "Also what does Alfred have to do with this? I don't think of him that way aru!"

"Yao, I know that you don't think of him like that, but Ivan won't see it that way. A-and," he faltered. "Yao, I know he's put his hands on you before."

Yao couldn't believe it. Xiang was giving him advice. And on top of that, what was worse was that Xiang knew about the 'incident' from two years ago. Xiang knew. Yao's breaths came in ragged gasps.

"H-how long have you known?"

Xiang looked back up to Yao's face. What he saw made him hate himself. Yao looked beautiful even pale, completely shaky and about to fall apart. But what he was about to say would make him hate himself even more. But it was for Yao's sake that he'd say it. Even if Yao would never forgive him, he'd say it.

"I've known for a while now. You should be careful, Yao." Xiang's voice closed up on him, "You mean a lot to me."

"Oh," Yao replied dumbly.

His brain had either stopped or was going at a million miles per hour. It was like being plunged into icy cold water. Xiang was one of the last people Yao had wanted to know about the 'incident'. Yao would rather die than have the people around him know h-how...It was disgraceful. But He had found out though. The embarrassment and horror of being looked down upon by Xiang colored Yao's pale complexion a flaming red. He wanted to die right there and then, sink into the earth and never see the light of day again. But instead, he spit out a "I-I'll see you later." And tore out the cafeteria, vision blurring, like he was being chased by the hounds of Hell.

Xiang stood in place listening to the sound of Yao's steps echoing into silence. It was over. Yao probably hated his guts. He didn't get to see Yao's face as the other bolted away, but Xiang was certain that Yao was crying. Crying because of him. He felt like crying himself. But he swallowed down the feeling and instead tapped into another, perhaps even stronger feeling.

Xiang's clenched fist slammed into the table, and a raw emotion slipped into his features, making his distinguishable brows sink down closer to his dark eyes. Yao shouldn't have to put up with jerks like Ivan. He didn't deserve to be hurt like he had been. Ivan didn't deserve to have Yao. Neither did Alfred.

* * *

**Hm...something is definitely happening. Both Kiku and Xiang are acting weird, or suspicious (your choice). The relationships surrounding Yao are shifting. Watch the drama coaster approach!**

**The big thing behind this chapter was kind of to give more character to the quieter, more reserved nations. I wanted Kiku to do something, show some emotion; I also wanted to give Xiang a good part. Since Hong Kong is a part of China, I didn't want to call them brothers or father and son. Thus, I came up that they are childhood friends, best friends at that. Later I will hopefully, give Matthew a bigger part and also include Toris. Toris is actually a very deep(?) character. I mean he puts up with Ivan even though he's scared of him, he's very reserved, a passive communicator, friends with Feliks (how did that happen?) and might idolize Yao. Heheheh. **

**Anyways please review and tell me what you think. I'd love input on what you think should happen! Also if there are any errors, point it out and I'll change it in a heartbeat [or 30 minutes since that's what the system is programmed to do.]**


	5. Kiku's Plan Part 1

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter V: Kiku's Plan (Part 1)**

**By: FallingBreathless**

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_**Hey everyone.**__ How are you guys doing? I've been pretty busy since tomorrow is indeed 4th of July! However, don't worry I'm still up, healthy and writing. I'm super happy about the reviews I've gotten. They make my day. When I first read them, I woke my mom up [12 in the morning] and completely went. __OMG OMG OMG! MOM, GUESS WHAT? __Anyways, even if her response was rather lackluster, I was still bouncing off the walls and dying of happiness. Oh gosh, hahaha. Wow, I sound- Never mind, hopefully you guys don't think less of me because of my banter. XD_

_Also, there are some special people I'd love to have acknowledged. _

_**The first is blind-alchemist who was and will remain the first person to review my story! Thank you so much, you really got me fired up to continue writing!**_

_**I'd also like to thank Nkiseki for pointing out the mistake that I made early on. Don't worry I changed it! Then credit goes to xVAMPIRExEMPRESSx for catching my character mix up. If you don't know about it...then I'm not planning to tell :P Thanks guys!**_

_**And lastly, to Mangachika, all I can say is that I absolutely enjoyed your enthusiasm. :)**_

_I hope you guys are reading this! I will work on continuing to write up chapters that will keep you interested. Read on!_

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xxx

xx

x

The next few hours Yao spent locked up in his office. He didn't want to see anyone. Even more, he didn't want anyone to see him. He knew he was a mess. What Xiang had said during lunch had really shaken him up. He felt utterly confused and hurt. Xiang had known, but why had he kept it a secret? Why did everyone keep dredging up his past? The past was the past and this was the present. Yao redid his ponytail and decided to call Ivan. He needed to hear the other's voice.

xxx

Over at the hospital the phone at the service desk rang. And the plump lady on shift picked up.

"Hello? This is Sheril from World Hospital speaking. How may we help you?"

"Uh, hello," replied Yao with a pause. "Could I speak to Ivan?"

"Ivan?" asked the lady puzzled. "...Please wait a moment." Yao waited for a good minute before the lady got back to him. "Oh, you mean Dr. Braginski. I'll direct your call to him right away."

"Thanks," Yao replied gratefully before the line clicked and changed some unknown music, the elevator kind.

Then one ring, two rings...Ivan picked up. "Hello da? This is Ivan Braginski."

Upon hearing Ivan's voice, Yao suddenly felt at peace. It didn't matter what Xiang and that Alfred had said. Ivan was terrific and nothing would change that simple fact.

"Hey, Ivan. It's me." Ivan froze in surprise at the sound of that voice.

"Yao? Is that you?" He asked. Yao rarely called him during work. This must have been very important. "What's the problem?"

Over at Filmari, Yao bit his nail. "Yeah it's me. Nothing's wrong aru. I just wanted to hear your voice. Is there something wrong with that?"

As happy as Ivan was to hear Yao's words, he wasn't easily deceived. "Nyet, Yao. You can hear my voice any time da. What's wrong?"

"I knew it," Yao smiled. "I guess I can't hide anything from you aru."

"Da. You should know that already," Ivan replied, waiting for Yao to open up.

"I guess it's just with all the idiots I'm around aru. I'm afraid of diffusion," said Yao, giving a half-truth.

He didn't want to mention anything about the 'incident.' Every time he'd mention it in the past, Ivan would get the saddest look in his violet eyes. Yaodidn't like that look at all. "Also Arthur's in love with Kiku," he added.

Over at the hospital, Ivan laughed good heartedly. "Da. Good for that hotheaded Kirkland! I do hope Kiku tells him to shave his eyebrows." Even Yao smiled at that. Yao was going to tell Ivan more about the situation over at Filmari, when a few sharp raps at his door got his attention.

"Hey, Ivan, someone's at my door, probably Arthur. So I've got to go now aru. I'll see you at home," said Yao.

"Da. I love you Yao," Ivan replied.

Yao colored on the other end. Really, he just wasn't used to all the declarations of love.

"...Um...yea. Bye aru," said Yao hanging up. Ivan was left on the line by himself, grinning at those simple words that confirmed Yao's love. The next few hours would go by very fast.

xxx

Putting back the phone, Yao headed straight for the door and swung it open. Of all the people it could have been, it was Kiku.

"Oh. Ah...Kiku," Yao said, startled. "I thought it was Arthur. But never mind, what brings you here aru?"

"Actually, it is about Arthur. He has been acting strange. If anyone other than me would notice, it thought it would be you." Yao lifted an eyebrow. Maybe, Kiku was finally noticing Arthur's romantic attempts.

"Really? He's always strange aru. Maybe, have you thought, that it might just be towards you?"

Kiku shook his head. "No, stranger than he usually is. He's staggering around and chasing af-"

"Kiku!" Both Asians turned in synchronized motion to see Arthur rounding the corner. Yao's face darkened. From the looks of it, Arthur was still drunk.

"Arthur," Yao yelled to the approaching figure. "What the heck are you doing aru!"

"What does it look like damn it! I'm going to finally make him acknowledge me. Even if I have to immobilize him!" the other hollered, dragging with him the fire extinguisher. "Kiku, I love you and I won't take 'no' for an answer."

"What aru? Arthur you're drunk," Yao protested, as said drunk was only a few yards away. "Sober up already aru! You're being a total moron."

In his drunkenness, Arthur's mind only processed the fact that Yao was keeping Kiku away from him. His thick brows knitted together.

"Damn it, Yao," he cussed, ready to take out said obstacle.

Yaonoticed this change and got a bit nervous. It wouldn't be too hard to take Arthur out in his state, but he didn't want to hurt the Brit. It was the alcohol talking after all. Kiku on the other hand had no such qualms to deal with. This was his chance, the one he'd been waiting for. So without another thought, he quickly approached the temporarily confused drunk. And with a quick chop to the back of neck, Arthur found himself falling into LaLa Land.

Yao was shocked. Kiku had just gone over and chopped a co-worker without hesitation. Poor Arthur, he'd be devastated to hear that. And so Yao swore that when Arthur asked about the pain in his neck when he came to that he'd take credit for it.

"Yao, come over here," Kiku beckoned, crouched over the unconscious form on the ground.

"What aru?" Yao demanded as he walked over. Kiku looked up at Yao, hardly hiding a smile.

"Let's go move him into the filming room. There are some sofas there from the last commercial."

* * *

**Sorry, that this chapter is a bit short. This was the only good cut off since if I didn't break up the story like this, I'd end up with a huge, fat chapter...which I tend to avoid like the plague. The problem that I see with long chapters is that when you want to share specific parts of a story with a friend, it takes way to long to find. I figure that with shorter chapters then it'd be easier to go to certain points of the story. Maybe that's just me?**

**Once again, thanks so much for reading. I want to hear what you guys are thinking about the plot!**


	6. Kiku's Plan Part 2

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter VI: Kiku's Plan (Part 2)**

**By: FallingBreathless**

* * *

The Brit was no lightweight, even if he supposedly survived on scones and tea. When they finally got to the filming room, Yao was all too happy to dump the drunk onto a nearby couch. There wasn't anyone else there since the actual planning for the new commercial started tomorrow, and Yao found himself a bit creeped out. The room was spacious after all and with no lighting or people, it was perfectly ominous. Yao cleared his throat.

"Um...well, then since Arthur's out. I should get going aru," he said turning to the exit. "I entrust Arthur to you care."

"Wait," Kiku said, grabbing Yao's arm to keep the other from leaving. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Yao could feel his blood pump with adrenaline from the unexpected contact as he turned back around. Kiku felt the other's air of uncertainty but held fast. He was not letting this self-made opportunity to just pass him by.

"What aru?" Yao asked. "I'm here now so talk." Kiku sighed, this wasn't going to be easy, and Yao wasn't going to make it any easier for him.

"Look, last time...It was my fault."

"What?" Yao asked in surprise. Today was turning out to be full of surprises.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Yao," the other continued. "I only realized afterwards how stupid I was acting, fighting over stupid stocks."

The scar on Yao's back ached in response. Could he forgive Kiku? After all, Kiku had been the one who had ended up slashing in the back with the decorative katana on New Year's Eve. He could still remember the cold, indifferent look in Kiku's eyes when he'd taken Yao's money, and left, leaving Yao for dead. Yao still felt cold at the fact that he'd ended up slipping into unconsciousness and had almost bled to death had not Xiang and Yong Soo drop by on a surprise visit.

"...I've thought about it everyday since then," Kiku continued on, searching, trying to decipher Yao's conflicted look. "I regret my rash action so much, and I've come to realize how much you mean to me, Yao."

There was silence that followed as Yao searched within himself for an answer. He didn't have one.

"..."

"Yao," the other asked tentatively. "I know I do not have the right to ask this, but, will you forgive me?"

Yao's mouth clammed up. Forgive? The other asked him to forgive. In Yao's heart, he'd already forgiven the other for the pain and humiliation... But to say that he forgave him was unquestionable. Being so open would only make Yao an easy target.

"...Did you plan to get me to talk to you alone like this?" Yao asked evading the question entirely. The other was silent before answering. Kiku smiled inwardly, Yao had always been on his wavelength after all.

"Yes," Kiku sighed. "I needed to talk to you alone."

"So you used Arthur as an excuse aru?"

"Yes," Kiku admitted. It had worked out well too. "I did."

Silence again, Yao letting the situation to sink in, and Kiku wondering as to what question would ensue.

"Why," Yao demanded. "Arthur is crazy about you Kiku. Why would you just take advantage of him like that aru..."

The other shrugged in response. "I don't give a care about that British fool. It was his own idea to fall in love with me. I never gave consent."

"So? What now?" Yao asked bitterly. "You've accomplished your task. I'm standing here. What do you want aru? Or did you just suddenly have the urge to apologize even if it's been 4 years since that incident?"

Yao's words were justifiably accusing, yet they still hurt. Kiku desperately wanted to throw himself onto the ground and literally BEG for forgiveness. However, Kiku's pride wasn't about to let Yao know that.

"Of course I didn't come here to apologize," Kiku said smoothly. "Yao you should know me better than anyone by now. There's something I need that requires you."

Chills went down Yao'sspine. What had happened to the little kid who had once caught him koi during the fall festivals in exchange for popcorn? The man standing in front of wasn't the same kid Yao knew. This man was calculating and manipulative, heartless.

"Whatever it is that you want with me, I refuse," Yao stated tersely. He didn't want to spend another moment breathing the same air as that guy.

"You can't refuse," both were caught off balance by the desperate tone. "I won't let you refuse," Kiku repeated again, this time with more steel behind it.

Anger sparked in Yao. He didn't have to take orders from Kiku.

"I just did aru!"

Then before Yao knew it, a body slammed into him with enough force that seconds later, he found himself staring up at the ceiling and at Kiku. "Damn it. Get off me! What do you think you're doing aru?" Yao gasped, blushing furiously.

Yao had been knocked over, and now lay sprawled helplessly on his backside, pinned down by Kiku's weight. Kiku was mildly surprised too. As he gazed down at Yao who was rendered almost completely immobile, he knew that the situation couldn't have been any better. "Did you not hear me aru?" Yao continued to squirm uselessly. "I said 'GET OFF'." To that Kiku just laughed. He brought his face closer to Yao's, so close that his breath rustled the other's hair.

"Yao, I don't think you understand the situation. Look at yourself." Yao's eyes darted around and clearly conveyed the thought that he didn't like the situation.

"Okay, fine. What do you want?" Yao hissed, a bit deflated but still glowering impressively.

Kiku felt bemused. He would enjoy this situation to the fullest.

"But Yao, certainly you can guess what I want..." Yao frowned. Actually, he had no idea what Kiku wanted, but he had always been good with riddles and puzzles.

"Look, if you want, I can call a friend of mine and have her give you a good number of bonds to Shinatty Inc."

Kiku scoffed inwardly. Did Yao really think that was what he was after? No, he was after something much more personal and fulfilling.

"Guess again," he offered. He was enjoying this way too much. As much as he wanted to just get the job done, that balanced out with enjoyment of seeing Yao squirm.

"...er..." Yao offered, out of ideas. It didn't help that the other was laying on him! His lungs needed air... "I give up aru," he gasped.

Kiku frowned. Yao definitely wasn't out of ideas, but then again he had an urge that needed to be satiated.

"Fine," Kiku said. Then before Yao could blink, he found Kiku's body pressed onto him and Kiku's mouth at his ear. Kiku smiled. "Yao," he whispered. "I've been monitoring you for a while. Something interesting has caught my attention." Yao gulped, positive that Kiku could hear as well as feel him do so.

"W-what aru?"

* * *

**By now, I am dying to know what you guys are thinking! I'm also dying from writing something...well edgy(?). Hahaha. Ooh la la~!**

**So here's the potent mixture: one drunk, two Asians with a complicated past, and a dark room. Do the math :D**

**Also, I've been messing with the idea of finishing some of my past works that I did while in a co-account with my friend who lives off of fanfic but doesn't write on the site... Would you guys rather I start with other stories as I go on with this one, or finish this one first?**


	7. Unexpected Results

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter VII: Unexpected Results**

**By: FallingBreathless**

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_Sorry that I took me so long to upload, but hey 4th of July and celebrations. What can I say? I hope everyone's been doing well. And without further adeu...another chapter! Okay, I don't want to ruin much but lets just say that I had this chapter written awhile ago...then when I say that comments, I was like "Oh crap. They are going to kill me." Hahaha. You'll see. Read on :D_

* * *

"You have good connections; I want the you to convince Yong Soo to collaborate with me in his business adventure into the Anime field."

Yao felt stupefied, and strangely relieved.

"What? That's it aru?" Kiku frowned, Yao's response was rather lackluster.

"Of course that's NOT it. I also want something else," he replied, becoming uncharacteristically flustered. "Why else would I have pushed you down on to the ground like this," he demanded. "I also want the contact number for Heracles Karpusi."

"Fine," Yao agreed, all but eager to exchange his freedom for the number of one of his business clients. "Now get off of me aru! I can't breathe!"

Kiku nimbly got off of the other and waited for the said other to get up. Yao stiffly got up, gasping for air. He shot a dirty look at Kiku before dropping on to a couch unoccupied by a still unconscious Arthur. Why was it that Arthur just had to stay unconscious while Yao basically got coerced into doing things for Kiku? "Look aru, can I just ask 'why me'?"

The other sighed and shifted to lean against the wall.

"Yao, since you are my old friend, I'll entertain you for a bit. Honesty, Yong Soo doesn't like me as much as he does you. That much should be obvious." Yao kept silent and Kiku continued. "I figured if anyone could convince him it'd be you. It would be so easy for you to do. A few words and he'd do anything for you."

Yao frowned. Somehow, as he thought about it, it did seem very realistic.

"I can't do that Kiku," Yao stated simply. "I can't make him do anything aru."

"Ah, but certainly you can just mention it to him," Kiku said smiling expectantly. "Also, remember that one time when I dressed you in Sakura cosplay?" Yao's face flushed, and that was all the confirmation Kiku needed. "I have pictures, that you certainly wouldn't want everyone to see, right?"

"Right," Yao agreed darkly. "Fine, so I talk to Yong Soo. But why do you want to talk to Heracles aru?"

"Um..." Kiku floundered for a moment. "All I can say is that it's personal."

Yao raised an eyebrow but didn't ask for more. If Kiku claimed that he had business with someone whose phone number he didn't even know, then it was none of Yao's business.

"Fine, I won't get involved in your personal life anymore. I'm sure you are well aware of that aru." Kiku nodded in response. "I have his business card in my office, but in exchange I want all of the pictures you took and the negatives. Got it aru?" More eager nods on the other end.

"That's fine with me Yao. Tomorrow morning then" with that, Kiku turned and strolled away business style leaving Yao to smolder in the filming room.

xxx

"Damn him aru, " Yao muttered, wanting to punch something even if it'd be useless and irrational to do so. On the side, Arthur groaned and stirred. He had a massive headache and the back of his neck hurt like someone had hit him with an anvil. He glanced around and found himself staring at Yao, and in the filming room.

"What the bloody hell happened!" he demanded. "And why are we in the filming room?"

On the other side, Yao glared in response. The Brit chooses to wake up _not_ when his co-worker is being coerced, _not_ when his friend is being blackmailed, but _now_?

"How would I know aru?" Yao spat back angrily. "If you weren't so drunk up to the point that you were exhaling alcohol, then maybe you'd know!"

Arthur scratched his head in puzzlement.

"Ah sheesh. Sorry, did I miss something?" Then one look at Yao, the Brit wished he hadn't asked.

"DID YOU MISS_ ANYTHING_? DID YOU MISS _ANYTHING _ARU? -" Was all Arthur could understand before Yao's words became incomprehensible in the tide of torrent anger.

xxx

Yao fumed again back at his office. The nerve of that Arthur to even ask!

As he logged onto his laptop, Yao felt a teeny, tiny, almost not there, prick of guilt for going off on the Brit, but only a little. He decided to ignore it, and proceeded to mow through some work files like the dutiful workaholic that he was. Seriously, Yao reasoned, he had every right to be angry at Arthur, not to mention Kiku, and whatever gods there were who were responsible for his terrible luck.

xxx

In the lounge, Arthur crashed into one of the corner seats with a cup of coffee and a bad temper almost equal to that of Yao's at the moment.

Shit, his neck hurt, and it felt as if Alfred had sent a bunch of carpenters to refurnish the inside of his head. Also, it didn't help that after he had come to, Yao had completely exploded at him. He still didn't know what had happened, and Yao probably wouldn't be speaking to him for a while. The last thing he could remember was seeing Kiku in the hallway...the rest was completely fuzzy.

Sighing, Arthur made up his mind to find Kiku later and with this excuse, go talk to him. In the mean time, he continued to sip the bitter drink while letting his mind wander. It was at these times, Arthur thought of his long forgotten ambition, to become a novelist. In his mind, he created characters of pure fantasy…creatures with magnificent wings... But when he was about to decide what color wings the Pegasus named "Charlie" would have, wet, sucking sounds derailed his train of thought. Irritated, Arthur immediately locked in on the source, Francis, sucking face with the Canadian makeup artist.

"Hey, Francis," Arthur growled. "If you have time to be snogging the poor guy to death, why don't you do some work?"

Francis, who had Matthew pressed against the wall, glanced over. It was that always in a foul mood Kirkland. Not wanting to stop, since Matthew was making deliciously cute little gasps, he held up a finger as he continued to deepen their kiss.

Farther away, Arthur was about to hurl. It was like the scene of a wolf devouring a lamb...albeit a very willing lamb.

"Aw, feeling lonely?" the Frenchman asked, when he finally surfaced for air. "Don't worry mon amour, I will comfort you too."

Both Arthur and Matthew blushed at this.

"F-Francis!" Matthew stuttered, a bit hurt.

Francis ground their hips together to assure the other of his undying love and devotion.

"Don't worry mon amour. You are my only love. Even if I-"

"This is outrageous," Arthur huffed cutting in (frankly not wanting to hear the rest of the man's sentence, lest he be scarred even more). "I bloody well as jump in front of a freight train before that happens damn it! Aren't you even ashamed of yourself? Matthew?" At this point the Canadian did have the decency to blush. "This is a public place!" he finished with a sweeping gesture to the front desk and lounge. "I'm going to get Yao to put up a no PDA sign up! Do you hear me damn it? And it's going to have a nice picture of you Francis with a big, red slash across your face!"

"Ah, but I don't think you understand," Francis spoke up, completely unaffected by the other's threat, and shaking a finger dramatically as if he was reprimanding a naughty child. "Love has no boundaries, and, plus, everyone needs a little love. A sign would do nothing to stop what is only natural."

("Ah..." Matthew started.)

"W-Whatever!" Arthur sputtered, at a loss for words to encompass as to just how completely stupid the Frenchman was. "Just do it somewhere e-else. Because I for one at least have some sense of shame, unlike you."

("Francis? Maybe we should do this later.")

Arthur watched as Francis glance towards Matthew for a split second seemingly for no reason before retorting, "Fine, mon amour. It is just a shame that you don't understand the power of love and affection."

Arthur, knowing that he was just being baited, clenched his teeth in response.

One more word and nothing, nothing would stop Arthur from jumping the self-absorbed pervert and finding a shear for that mess of blond hair... Luckily for Francis, he picked up on the killer vibe and quickly gave a jaunty "Adieu" before retreating from the lounge with Matthew being dragged along. Francis wasn't about to let that grumpy Briton ruin his lovemaking.

(Plus, he found the Canadian too cute to resist.)

* * *

**Apologies guys who were expecting some sort of steamy scene with Yao and Kiku. Let's say I'm a smut killer. Oh yea. Hopefully, you still found it enjoyable though. Hahaha. Also I just couldn't help throwing in some FrancexCanada moments. But, I'm serious, who else could France be paired up with? Matthew is just...Well he's just so calm and collected and well...quiet. Then you've got France. Yin-Yang guys. **


	8. After Work

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter VIII: After Work**

**By: FallingBreathless**

* * *

_Hey guys, long time no- ehm. Okay, cheesy. Anyways, the thing is I've been away for a while. A LONG while. Sorry about that, and once again thanks for reading. I was away at camp for an entire week and things have been super hectic. The plot gets better and I included more relationship details. And well, read more cause I don't want to totally ruin it for you guys. I'm also psyched that I might be co-starting a series. But I can't say until it's finalized. Also, random moment of today, anotating for history SUCKS. I've burned through two highlighters and I'm only halfway done. Hahaha._

* * *

Kiku on the other hand was having the best day of his life. Every thing was practically falling into place. He even found himself humming a little tune as he proceeded to reorganize his room. Every thing had been executed out with perfection, no, better than that even. Frankly, the only disappointment had been a bit with Yao's response but that didn't matter, what mattered was that his successful future was just out of reach; that he could literally see his name, Kiku Honda, in glittering neon lights. With the new anime genre, he could make millions...no billions even. There was an escalator for him, leading straight to money and fame. Also, blushing a bit, he could maybe talk to Heracles...

Kiku had first met Heracles while on an overnight business trip. He'd actually tripped over Heracles while taking the stairs to his own room. His first response was just shock. Deep, unexcused shock. The bewilderment of how someone like Heracles existed. The brown, mussy-haired Greek had fallen sleep curled up on the stairs surrounded by cats. CATS. In a four star hotel. Kiku remembered how he had thought that Heracles was dead and had dropped his suitcase -which ironically woke the guy up. Of course nothing happened between the two of them, but after several chance encounters and last Christmas where Heracles had dug him out of a snowdrift...Kiku's opinion on Heracles had changed drastically. How he had thought that the other had been a cat-loving bum with a push over nature, expanded. When, the guy had pulled Kiku's ungrateful self out of the cold, white world, he'd been less than nice to the Greek. Back then he'd kind of had a thing for Alfred, but that had died with a nuclear disagreement in culture. Nevertheless, he'd been a mess blaming Heracles for being there to save him instead of Alfred, and ultimately screaming, "I hate you!" as an eloquent conclusion.

Kiku regretted that. Why was he such an ass to the people he cared about the most? It was the same with Yao. They'd been on the path to making things up, and even though Yao would have been happy to help him had he been patient enough, but no. He just couldn't wait. He wasn't as patient as everyone gave him credit to be. But, in this case, Yao to Heracles was no comparison. Heracles won 1000 to 1. The Greek had actually moved, changed jobs, changed numbers; leaving Kiku unable to reach him, unable to apologize and make things right. Damn. The guy had rather too freely expressed his feelings to Kiku, and had probably taken Kiku's words as rejection. That was the problem with Europeans. They took words by face front value.

Plopping down behind his desk, Kiku lifelessly put away the last of his files and glanced at the phone. His hand ached to pick it up and talk to Heracles-san, hear the other spout philosophy that he'd so liked to do. Kiku sighed. Tomorrow. He'd have to call tomorrow. He'd have to wait for tomorrow, which would be sure to be slow to come.

xxx

Yao had cooled down a bit from the ego-bruising incident of being blackmailed by Kiku. He figured that it would only be a one day deal, he'd get the pictures and the negatives and Kiku could to whatever the hell he wanted the do. Yao would just stay out of it. It wasn't like Kiku was any of his business. But as he was thinking so, he knocked over his cup of green tea, staining nearby papers green.

"Aiyah! Nothing is going well today!" He exclaimed out loud and he scrounged around for some paper towels. More than being annoyed with actually spilling tea on his work papers, he was angry with himself. How was he to know what Kiku was up to? He was a fool, and now even the tea was waging war with him. The tea stained papers seemed to point out all his flaws and shortcomings. Yao frowned, and started wiping. Roughly, cleaning up the mess, Yao pushed away the dark mood that was about to engulf him whole. It wasn't like he was selling Yong Soo out either... It was all very justifiable, given the situation. But now wasn't the time to be self-reflecting.

He glanced at the clock -6:27. He'd stayed overtime to prompt Francis into actually put some of the French guy's ideas for the new commercial onto paper, and then he'd proceeded to throw out all of the one's that weren't rated E for everyone (most of them). Yao had told Ivan that he'd be home by seven, but looking at the time, he'd be late. Fishing out his cell, and glancing at the clock again, Yao pressed the first number on his speed dial.

xxx

Back at Ivan's house, Ivan was busy rearranging the furniture and humming the tune of Moscow Nights while the pork chops were cooking.

After getting home early, he'd proceeded to vacuum and dust the living room -Yao had always appreciated a clean environment. Then he'd gone to the garden he'd planted in the backyard and chose several of the biggest and brightest sunflowers to take back with him into the house.

Glancing over from the stove, Ivan smiled at the beauty the flowers brought to the dinning room; the blue vase he used had actually been a present from Yao. Everything was going great. He'd figured out how to use the rice cooker and the chops looked delicious and even the green beans had turned out well. The dinner part was set and done. Dinner by candlelight would be just terrific. Ivan could already see how Yao would look, eyes sparkling like amber, and raven dark hair falling seductively against the porcelain skin of his neck.

Just thinking about it, made Ivan aroused. Which, reminded him to check on the preparations for the other half of the night.

Upstairs, the bed that they'd shared countless times was made, looking comfortable and inviting. The incense that Yao liked was burning, sleepy smoke tendriling off, and filling the room with mystery and mood. And Ivan had filled the adjoining bathroom with millions of small scented candles along with sprinkling rose petals everywhere. Obviously, that was only the stuff Yao would approve of.

Ivan had also bought three rolls of red lace, a bottle of Liquid Silk, and a kinky silk dress. None of course Yao would know about until the time came. Ivan chuckled to himself; half the fun would be seeing Yao's face when he'd see the dress, the other half being the obvious. He faintly wondered whether Yao would care if he had some vodka. After all, it was a special occasion.

Downstairs the phone rang, the melody of OBLAKA filled the air and Ivan quickly hid the illegal items in his desk drawer. Flying down the stairs, the phone stopped ringing and had already directed the call to the answering machine. The call was dropped. Ivan shrugged, must of been a wrong number, if it was Yao then Yao would call again, this time to his cell phone.

xxx

Yao frowned as he put down his phone, how many times had he told Ivan to the delete old messages from the answering machine? Now it was even too full to take messages! Whatever, it wasn't like Ivan would care much if he was a bit late. Ivan was probably still at work anyhow. He'd try his cell next.

Suddenly, Yao's office door burst in and something or someone tackled Yao making him drop his cell. Alfred Jones.

"Yo Yao! You're still here!" Alfred greeted, grinning ear to ear.

"Yes, aru," Yao replied irritably. "I was just about to leave. So would you mind letting go?"

"Oops!" the American exclaimed in mock fashion, and let go of Yao's shoulders. "So are you free?"

Yao raised an eyebrow as the other bent down to fish up his cell.

"Is that why you're here aru?"

"That, and to return your cell to you of course," Alfred replied, dangling the cell phone via Hello Kitty strap in front of the other's face. "I didn't know that you liked Hello Kitty so much," He added with a hint of amusement.

"I-it was a gift!" Yao flushed, grabbing for his phone. It in fact had been a gift from Kiku when they were in 5th grade, but that was completely irrelevant to the moment.

Alfred was too quick. Holding up Yao's cell to the sky, he grinned at Yao, who was a good seven inches shorter. Yao would have to jump to get it, and Yao knew it too. Yao folded his arms and glared at Alfred, refusing to make a fool of himself.

"Give it to me aru," he demanded, looking heart-stoppingly sexy to Alfred. "This isn't funny."

Alfred paused a moment. Yao looked so fucking good at the moment, and it'd really just be so simple to just hand Yao his cell phone...but-

"Give what?"

"Don't be ridiculous, you know what I'm talking about aru!"

"Are you sure I know what you're talking about?" Alfred asked raising an eyebrow scandalously. "'Cause I could be thinking something completely different."

Yao was silent as a winter's night to Alfred's response. It was just plain ridiculous. What was Alfred trying to pull? Whatever it was, Yao didn't want to be part of it. Ivan was waiting for him at home, and by the second that was looking more and more inviting.

"Look," Yao started to say. "Just give it to me, now, aru."

"You sure you want it?"

"Yes."

And then all too suddenly, Alfred's face was all Yao could see. His lips pressing sensateously against his, and with the faint smell of cologne, Yao's senses short-circuited. Yao gasped into the kiss, and abruptly pushed the other away with all his force. This was wrong.

Yao backed away from Alfred, shocked and appalled. His hand raised, fingers at lips. His head screaming a silent scream that devoured the air around him, Alfred had kissed him.

Across from the dumbstruck Yao, Alfred on the other hand stood his ground where Yao had pushed him away. He was a mixture of dejection and anger and being pushed away. Looking at Yao, he felt more pissed off. As cute as Yao looked totally mortified and red-faced, Yao was seriously going overboard. It was only a kiss after all. Totally innocent compared to the other stuff Alfred had been thinking. Yet, there was Yao acting as if he'd been raped. (Which, Alfred noted, sounded tempting but would be more like something Ivan might try, if he had to.)

"A-Alfred, explain yourself aru!" Yao sputtered, edging close to hysteria. "That was totally uncalled for and.. and it's indecent!"

"Fuck," Alfred muttered. "All I did was kiss you. And it wasn't like you weren't asking for it."

Yao paused.

"WHAT? How was _I_ '_ASKING' _for it aru? Why in the-" Yao roared after his mind had processed the BS that emitted from the other's mouth. " 'All you did was KISS me' aru? You...You raped my lips!"

"What the heck is that?" Alfred demanded. "And yeah, you were asking for it, making that seductive face at me."

"W-What are you talking about? You need to go to a doctor, there was no-" Yao cut off the end of his sentence. " Also, I-I don't know, but Yong Soo uses that phrase aru. But it fits! You raped my lips!"

"You're making such a fucking big deal about a kiss, Yao. You've done it with Ivan countless times," Alfred stated. "If you don't tell, no one will ever have to know about it. Especially Ivan."

Yao blanched at the thought of Ivan finding out -it was blackmail of the darkest shade.

"Y-yea I guess."

"See? No need to freak out, Yao. I promise I'll keep it a secret from Ivan okay? And as an apology I'll treat you to dinner tonight, okay?" Alfred offered, knowing Yao would find it hard to refuse a free meal.

Yao shook his head.

"Damn it, Alfred! No, not tonight aru. I told Ivan I was going to be home around seven."

"Then tomorrow then," Alfred cut in. "I'm sorry, Yao. Spur of the moment, you know? Let me make it up to you, please?" He then pulled his best puppy dog look.

Yao's expression softened, and Alfred was barely able to keep his facade going. Yao was just too predictable.

"Tomorrow," said Yao clearing his throat before grabbing his briefcase. But as he left the room, Yao glared back over his shoulder unexpectedly. "Alfred, if you ever try to force a kiss from me again. I will make you regret it aru." And with that Yao left Alfred standing in his office and with a chill. Unexpected.

Ten minutes after Yao left, Alfred laughed into the silence of Yao's office. Yao was terrific, and he was immensely jealous of Ivan. There weren't many people who would freak out from a kiss and then directly turn around and threaten the thief, especially if the thief was the spokesperson to a multibillion commercial company. Yao had guts. And Alfred still had Yao's Hello Kitty equiped cell phone. Yao was just too cute.

* * *

**Okay, wow was that a lot of action. Hahaha. Well, I feel like it's about time to apologize to the Kiku fans out there. Kiku ended up being a totally manipulative, blackmailing, in love butt. That's just the way it kind of happened. [Does that even count as an apology?] Nevermind, anyways I hoped everyone enjoyed some background on Kiku's relationship with Heracles. To tell the truth I actually had to go do some research on Heracles since I did not know his character too well, but hopefully their meeting seemed believable. :D**

**Also did you catch that? The reference to the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima by the US? No? Oh well. I tried to put some history in it. FAIL.**

**Finally, I really want to know what you guys think of my variation of Ivan's and Alfred's characters. Do you guys still like them? I figured that the US and Russia/Soviet Union's characters are really alike and so I wanted to have that point of difference of tension. Both act childish but are actually very smart and calculating(?). Hahaha. So then I decided to throw China into the mix. Ivan is with Yao, he's happy. Alfred wants Yao. Thus, you get the gunpowder in place. Now all I need is the big KABOOM to send the story spiralling into action.**

**Lastly, some random facts and knowledge which may or may not be awkward. But believe me when I say that typing this was sooooo awkward!**

**Fact One:** I've decided that all my characters, like the people we know in life, are flawed.

Ivan -vodka, violence, jealous/ Yao -love/ Alfred -crack, violence, manipulative/ Arthur -alcohol, cussing, love/ Kiku -relationships, trust issues, calculating/ Okay, dang it! I'll have to stop now before I completely ruin the surprises.

**Fact Two:** Let's just say Cold War.

**Must, not, give, plot AWAY! Gah! Okay well thanks for reading both my story and (maybe?) my extra rants and continuations of pointlessness. Thanks so much!**


	9. Intruder in the Night

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter IV: Intruder in the Night**

**FallingBreathless**

* * *

_Hey, it's been a while. Life has been super hectic, so please excuse this belated update. I actually had this written weeks ago...but I never got around to uploading. Also my computer crashed which complicated everything...right now I'm actually being a computer leech :p _

_Also, I've just got to say AP European History is currently my favorite class. There's this book called "A World Lite Only By Fire" by Manchester that I would suggest to serious history buffs. It's opinionated but spectacularly written. But for those who are not that into medieval history, read Spielvogel. Let's just say that he writes history with in-depth perspective and makes history understandable as well as entertaining. Hahaha. Enough about that. __Okay, well, I don't want to bore you too much with my rants. Thanks for sticking with me :D_

**WARNING: The next chapter is definately M...I see you smiling. Yes, you know who you are. Anyways the next chapter isn't crucial to the plot of the story. However, it does goe into...stuff, and give more character background. Read or skip, your choice.**

* * *

A solid twenty minutes past seven, Yao entered Ivan's house.

Even though he'd basically lived there, Yao still thought of it as Ivan's. His own house he'd entrusted it to be kept in good condition by his nosy female neighbor, and he'd only been to it occasionally to retrieve something. It must have had something to do with the different taste in decor. Yao's own house was homely, filled with pictures of friends and family, drawings people had made for him throughout the years, and was always vibrant in color and delicious in smells. Ivan's was more cold, sophisticated even. Before Ivan had met Yao, Ivan had mostly eaten out so the kitchen and dining areas were impractical, with large furniture/ steel equipment. Yao had been appalled at first, discovering that only the fridge worked in the kitchen, kept in use to store vodka. However, Yao had quickly set the kitchen back into working order before the end of the first week.

Of course, everything else was big at Ivan's house too. The bed, the couch, the TV, the house itself. If Yao could have given the house a color, it would have been gray. Silent, cold, and lonesome. Yao had once wondered how Ivan had managed before he'd moved in. But it turned out, Ivan liked his house and had his sunflowers, and the occasional visits from his two sisters. And now, of course, he had Yao.

xxx

The lights were off.

"Ivan?" Yao called into the silence, as his eyes adjusting to the darkness. A faint glow could be seen emitting from the dinning room. Yao set down his briefcase quietly and stepped stealthily towards the room. He didn't turn on the lights. It might be an intruder and in that case, it would have been unwise to announce himself more so than he'd already had. As he neared the source of light, Yao formed his plan. Peek in, locate intruder, catch the intruder off guard, and then consequently take him/her out and call 911.

Peeking around the corner, Yao was perplexed on seeing no one. The source of light was from four vanilla colored candles burning softly in the darkness. Feeling relieved, but yet more confused, Yao pushed away from the wall and entered the room. He wondered where Ivan was and whether he was okay. But first was first. Yao needed to call 911. Hand reaching for his cell, Yao discovered that his cell wasn't in his pocket where he usually had it. Gone. He must have left it with Alfred. Yao cussed under his breathe. The moment that he needed a cell phone, it was gone. Just great.

There were two landline phones in the house, one in the kitchen and the other upstairs. The kitchen was closer. Gathering his wits, Yao tiptoed toward the kitchen, eyes and ears straining at every movement and sound. Brushing past a chair, something grabbed Yao. Somebody. Yao yelped in surprise as he twisted and turned to break out of the other's iron hold. In the faint candlelight, Yao could only make out a male form. A smile was all Yao could see, white teeth glistening yellow from firelight. The silhouette grabbed him.

A hand slithered its way down, and with his arms forcefully pinned to his sides, Yao was all but helpless. Mind-stoppingly slow, the hand crept its way lower and lower. Yao shivered, as warm breaths dampened the back of his neck. The hand grabbed his crotch. Yao cried out in fear, shock, horror, the list went on and on.

Then suddenly, the hand was gone. The intruder let go of Yao, and then the lights were on. Yao sat on the ground, hugging his knees, forming a protective ball as shocked tears leaked their way past his lashes.

xxx

Standing by the light switch, staring at his beloved, Ivan felt like a jerk...it was more like he'd become what that damn Alfred called a 'mother-fucking bastard.' Da, that was the perfect phrase for it. He'd been expecting a call from Yao, since the other had a habit of calling almost the minute before getting home. He'd been caught off guard by Yao and had wanted to tease Yao a bit. It was all done in the name of fun.

Yet, things had gone wrong. Yao was obviously shaken up, crying even. And there Ivan was feeling like the lowliest of the scum that scrubbed barnacles off the hulls of the Iron Ships that frequented the city of Ivan's childhood. Or maybe, a better description would have been a physical pain at seeing Yao upset. Like slamming into a concrete wall, or like belly flopping repeatedly every second off of a 30 ft diving board.

xxx

"I-Ivan? Is that you aru?" Yao asked shakily, finally mustering the courage to look up. Spotting Ivan, a wave of unabashed relief swept Yao's face.

"Da. It's me." Ivan replied bending down over the smaller man. "There, there, Yao. It's okay," he soothed gathering up the other in his arms like a delicate doll.

"I-I thought," Yao began, arms looping around Ivan's neck and burying his face into the other's shirt and chest. "I thought that it was an intruder."

"Sh...It is okay, da. It was only me. I'm sorry," Ivan murmured reassuringly.

"Yeah. I know,"

Yao's tears were still leaking out. Ivan carried his lover over to the couch and gently lowered him onto it. Ivan sat down next to Yao, unable to even explain in simple words how beautiful the other looked even crying. It made his heart wrench and twist, almost into tearing to a million pieces. His hands cupped the other's face, thumb erasing a tear.

"I'm sorry, Yao. It's okay now da. I'm here, see? Do you want to talk about it?"

Yao smiled even as he fought to regain control of his tear ducts.

"I know aru. I know it's you Ivan. Now I do at least." Ivan smiled questioningly. "I'd rather not talk about it, Ivan. I just want to forget it, okay?" Yao snuggled closer to Ivan, and Ivan, without question slowly, one by one, kiss away all of the other's tears. And for one of the most rare of times, Yao didn't protest.

After the initial shock, Yao hadn't been crying at the humor of the whole scenario. Rather. he cried in relief and horror. Relief that it was Ivan. And in horror of remembering what Alfred had done to him and what he could have done to him in his own office. Ivan's lips, leaving butterfly light kisses down his neck, was a Godsend; the only thing keeping him from a total breakdown at the moment, and the only thing that could have elicited guilt that ate away at his heart and soul from what he was hiding and planning to hide forever from Ivan.

Alfred had said that it was only a kiss, yet why did Yao feel like he was slowing being squashed by an invisible hand, and what about that burning in his stomach?

xxx

Eventually, the tears had stopped, and Ivan shifted Yao onto his lap.

"I-Ivan," Yao stuttered embarrassed as he felt Ivan's excitement press against his butt.

Ivan grinned. He was all fired up and ready.

"I'm feeling hungry, da."

"Then let's go eat dinner aru," replied Yao as a blush tinted his cheeks.

He shifted to get off of Ivan. Only to be stopped by an Ivan-style bear hug.

"Nyet. I am not hungry for food, Yao. I want to eat you."


	10. Night Bet

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter X: Night Bet**

**FallingBreathless**

* * *

___Okay, folks, it's here. I gave warning in the last chapter. Venture on if you dare! Muhahahaha!_

_Hey, all I can say is that I'm already feeling the Halloween atmosphere going. This year I'm going to go trick-or-treating. I might be getting too old for it though, but I'm going to go anyways. Hahaha. I'm going as a witch. It's got this very stylish velvetly black hat, black mullet style dress with ripped design at the hems, and I added black and white striped stockings and black boots. Also if you have no idea what mullet style is, it's just a dress that's short inthe front and long in the back. The style has recently made a comeback in fashion: er...it dress style not the hair. Also, some of my friends are going as celebrities. David is going as Lady Gaga and Maddi is going as Ke$ha...(even though she is a creeper and is literally France in female form!) Also, yes, she knows that too and she takes pride in it. Oh geez. All my other friends and me included, just wish she wouldn't grope (couldn't think of a better word) everyone as a form of 'hello.'_

Got any creeper friends?

* * *

Then before Yao could protest, Ivan flipped the both of them over and pressed his lips against Yao's. Yao pushed gently against the Russian, pushing away but not with any real determination. Ivan's excitement grew, until it made itself pronounced against the fabric of his pants. IHis pressed his lips down harder, and Yao's mouth opened with a rush of warmth, and Ivan's tongue slipped in to explore and conquer.

Yao noted that Ivan tasted faintly of vodka, but the next second that thought was lost to the onslaught of heat.

Their tongues touched. And with a little prompting, Yao's tongue started to respond to Ivan's. Soon, bursts of electricity shot through Yao's body, making his body hotter and hotter, until Yao felt like he was fevered. He began moaning softly after Ivan's hands had slipped into his pants.

Once Ivan had relieved Yao of his pants, Ivan stopped to study a beautiful sight, watching his lover's member begin to reflect his own erect one, still wondering how it was possible that Yao was so sensitive. But, he was more than happy to elicit more moans. Ivan's large hands skillfully started unbuttoning the other's clothes. And as much as Ivan liked Yao in silk, he also liked Yao's western style 'work' clothes.

One button undone, another, and another, it was like unwrapping a highly anticipated birthday present. Half the fun was in the wrapping. Underneath him, Yao blushed a pretty red.

"Um...Ivan, we're on the couch. Shouldn't we stop here aru?"

Ivan paused. He'd forgotten that they were on the couch. Damn it. But then suddenly he remembered what was waiting for them upstairs, and smiled.

"Okay, da, Yao. I love you so much, so if Yao wants to stop because of the location, then let's go up stairs," Ivan agreed with his smile that cleared hallways.

"Sure aru," Yao agreed a bit unnerved. Ivan had that grin and that mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and as Yao had learned, that could mean anything.

"Da! Here we go!" Ivan announced as he threw Yao over a shoulder, and began tromping up the stairs. He was in a great mood today.

"H-Hey Ivan! Slow down aru!" Yao yelled as they all but flew up the stairs. Ivan's only response was a merry 'Kolkolkol' as Yao held onto Ivan for his life, once again reminded of the Russian's superb physical strength. One of the reason's he'd ended up falling for Ivan.

xxx

Crashing through the door, Ivan gently set Yao down across the bed. Immediately, Yao flipped onto his stomach, propped up by his elbows, to study the room. Ivan had seriously done something with it. All over the place, red rose petals were scattered and their aroma mixed with that of his favorite incense. Ivan had remembered that, when? Yao lifted an eyebrow inquisitively at Ivan across the room.

Ivan was busy lighting candles, when he glanced over in time to see Yao's questioning look.

"It's a secret da," Ivan managed to muster, through the overwhelming need to just ravage Yao this very instant.

In the soft candlelight, Yao looked like an angel. Wearing nothing but his underwear and half unbuttoned blouse hanging askew and revealing a tantalizing pale shoulder over a backdrop of silky black hair. His amber eyes caught the firelight with golden specks, a passion alive. In a certain sense, Yao had been Ivan's angel, goddess, and savoir. Back when the world had been nothing but bleak and cold, Yao had appeared like a light to his eternal darkness, like the vast blue sky to a caged canary.

"Ivan, where are you staring off to aru?"

"Just remembering the past, Yao," Ivan replied, plopping down onto the bed, a dark shadow flitting across his face. Pain, darkness, and hurt. Memories best left forgotten.

Yao sat up on the bed and as best as he could, wrapped his arms protectively around the other. He wanted nothing more than to take away the other's pain just like how Ivan had taken his away only moments ago. They sat together in silence, until Yao finally broke the mood.

"Ivan," Yao murmured softly. "It's okay now aru. She's not coming back, and one is going to leave you."

Ivan turned and smiled slowly, his own violet eyes like liquid fire.

"Da. I know that better than anyone, Yao. I haven't seen my sister since..." Then, resting his head against Yao's so that they met eye to eye, Ivan grinned. "You're the only person that matters to me, my Jao. I don't care even if everyone else left. Then I could have you all to myself." And in an action apart from lust, Ivan planted a whisper of a kiss on Yao's lips.

Yao averted his eyes, maintaining a calm appearance. "Jao" was what Ivan called him in only the dearest of terms.

"Yeah, Ivan."

"I love you Jao. Only you, da. Do you know that?" Ivan asked voice husky and a little frantic.

"I know Ivan. You've told me at least once everyday since the moment we met." Then suddenly, the world was upside down with Ivan looming over him, his large hands at Yao's shoulders. "Ivan?"

"Yao, you never say you love me," Ivan pouted; Yao's control wavers.

"What do you mean? You already know how I feel aru."

Ivan sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"Jao. Would it hurt you to say it more often?" Ivan asked. "You don't even say it when I'm making love to you."

Yao's hand darted for a pillow, holding it over his face. Hiding his face from Ivan's all too knowing eyes, as his face smolders. Ivan chuckled at Yao's immaturity. "Come Yao. Let me see your face da." Ivan tugged at the pillow; Yao held onto it tight. He'd rather fall unconscious from the lack of oxygen than let Ivan see him face red, eyes teary, and face all but spilling out all of the emotions of his heart.

"No aru! I'm not fit to be seen at the moment."

Ivan laughed out loud at Yao's recent phrase choice.

"Yao, there's one except me here to see you. And you could have just rolled out of bed, hung-over, and half-asleep and I'd still be able to announce to the world that I have the most beautiful maiden with me."

Thwack! Ivan catches a small blur before the impact. The pillow.

"W-Who are you calling a girl?" Yao seethed, his own embarrassment forgotten for the moment. "God, Ivan! You know that I'm a man aru!"

"Da. I know that very well," Ivan responded, deciding to ignore Yao's pillow assault. "But you are just so pretty like a girl, Yao." Saying so, he planted a kiss on Yao's forehead as a peace offering.

"B-b-bu-but...I'm not a girl aru!" Yao finally managed, infuriated.

Yao wasn't happy at all. He turned to face the opposite direction so that Ivan could stop raining down kisses on him. Ivan had seriously killed the mood.

Ivan frowned.

"It doesn't matter Yao."

"Yes it does. My ego is at stake aru," was the other's curt but pointed answer. It was followed by mutually stubborn silence.

"..."

"..."

Ivan broke the silence, and Yao was glad that Ivan spoke up.

"Yao?"

"What...?"

"I love you, Yao," Ivan exclaimed once again unpeturbed by the other's prickly mood, launching himself at Yao.

"What are you doing? Damn it aru! Get off of me, you're too heavy!"

Looking down, at the obviously unhappy Asian, Ivan Kolkolkoled.

"I'm going to make you say that you love me," Ivan announced with a strange finality. Yao pales and then flushes.

"I-I will do no such thing aru!" Yao chokes out.

However, Ivan already knew that he'd got Yao's interest hooked. Hook, line and sinker.

"Oh, are you that confident Yao?" Ivan taunted, pressing against the other meaningfully. "Want to make a bet?"

Yao hesitated for a minute, but eventually caved in to the temptation. "Name it aru."

Ivan all but laughed out loud. Yao was going to kill him, but at least he'd die happy.

xxx

"Okay, I bet if you let me do whatever I want with you for an hour, I'd have you'd begging me for more," Ivan said. "If I win, then I'm going to work with you for a week, Jao."

Yao's face blanched paler, as his mind is screamed "NO WAY" in deafening decibels. If Ivan went to his workplace, Filmari would never get anything done...plus he'd be the target for Francis' lewd humor. However, pride was also clawing its way up Yao's throat. It really was never in his personality to back down. Plus, he'd be sure to win. He hadn't exactly gone to an Ivy League College while putting up with Yong Soo simultaneously without any serious determination.

"What's in it for me aru?"

"I'll stop calling you a girl, and I'll take over cleaning the house for three months."

As good as a deal as it was, Yao wasn't satisfied. It was his body on the line after all, and then there was the Ivan factor after all.

Ivan definitely had physique and a sex drive that was probably unmatchable. Forget Viagra, if everyone was like Ivan, Viagra would go bankrupt. Yao frowned, a line forming between his brows, before throwing down his own conditions, conditions that would make Ivan give up before he'd even start.

"Throw in the entire Sanrio store and a month-long visit to my hometown, and I'm in."

"Da. It's a deal," Ivan agreed all too compliantly -sealing the deal with a kiss and simultaneously making Yao's stomach drop.

Ivan could feel the adrenaline in his blood. Hello Kitty had always been one of Yao's weak points after all. And also it was really a win-win situation for him because 'losing' wasn't in his vocabulary.

xxx

In the curling incense smoke, a timer was set. Other than the timer, props had also been set to use.

"I-Ivan. I didn't agree t-to that," Yao stuttered as his eyes glued simultaneously to the semi-transparent, barely there dress in Ivan's right hand and the rolls of red lace in his left.

"Ah, but Yao. You agreed that I could do ANYTHING, da?" Ivan retorted back, smile going at 100 watts.

"B-but..." Yao floundered desperately trying to think back and find some loophole. There weren't any.

Ivan grabbed Yao in a tight hug, dropping the lace. "Won't you do it for me, Yao?"

Feeling a bit miffed, Yao mumbles a "Fine, I'll wear it," making the Russian absolutely beam.

Yao had unconditionally placed himself to the Ivan's mercy, but he still frowned at Ivan's response and grabbed the dress from Ivan. His hands expertly unbuttoned the remainder of buttons that Ivan hadn't already gotten to on his blouse. Throwing off the shirt, Ivan was already running his hands down Yao's chest.

"Stop aru. I'm changing!"

"Nyet. I want to help," the other retorted, nuzzling against Yao's exposed shoulder and neck.

"Aiyah, you're hopeless!" Yao exclaimed pushing the other away. "Fine, but don't do anything weird aru."

Ivan kolkolkoled in response. "Nope, nothing weird da."

Ivan bent over to get the last button, hands brushing purposefully against tender skin. Yao shivered visibly on contact. Slowly, Ivan slid off the blouse from Yao's shoulders.

Standing behind Yao, he studied the other's build.

Slender and pale, a flawless back only marred by a thin pink streak -a violent scar. Anger flitted through Ivan's features before he wrapped his arms around the other.

"I hate that scar."

Glancing behind, Yao's eyes darken.

"You know what happened, Ivan."

Ivan closed his eyes briefly before returning back to reality. "Unfortunately."

With that, Ivan slipped off Yao's underwear and helped Yao into the dress, managing to kiss Yao's skin all the while. The two then toppled onto the bed, drunk on sensation of skin to skin. Ivan's lips and tongue set fire to Yao's skin; his hand rubbing Yao's member. Friction.

As precum began seeping its way out, Ivan reached for the lubricant. Then, taking a hold of Yao's waist, Ivan slipped in a finger. Yao gasped at the intrusion. Flexing, Ivan made Yao squirm. Another finger, another gasp of pleasure. Flexing his fingers a few more times, Ivan slipped back out. Finally stripping out of his own clothes, Ivan positioned himself behind Yao. Yao tensed, waiting for the intrusion. Then it came. Slamming into him like a tempest, ocean breaking onto cliffs, the thrumming of his own heart beat. At once, the two became a single entity, and both were lost, swept away by a lust so deep that no bottom could be seen. And in minutes both Ivan and Yao came, one after the other, and the monster was quenched, if only momentarily.

Ivan pulled out, and Yao distinctly felt as if some part of his being was taken away in the process. He felt...empty. However, it wasn't something that he would admit. Instead, Yao wrapped himself in the bed sheets that only moments ago had been tossed aside to make room for more urgent business. The dress that he'd been wearing was already sweat-drenched, and lay at a heap on the ground, ignored.

On the other hand, Ivan's body was still telling him to go another few rounds with Yao. But, looking at Yao, Ivan consciously reeled his desires back. Yao was tired. Instead, he reached for Yao and pulled the other into a tender embrace, enjoying the other's warmth. Besides, he still had six minutes to win the bet; he'd do it in three.

xxx

Yao felt the air leave him as his back made contact with Ivan. He knew that Ivan could do another round, probably wanted to do another round, but the action was absent of lust.

"Jao, do you know what I am thinking about?" Ivan asked.

"No, aru. I do not know what you're thinking about, Ivan," Yao replied sighing. He'd wished for some silence, just sharing a mutual connection without the need for words.

"I'm remembering the first time I met you Yao."

"Really?" Yao mumbled, not knowing where Ivan was going with this.

"Da. I am. It's been years hasn't it? Forever almost."

Yao smiled one of his rare smiles that was like the sun breaking over the scenery of a bleak night. "It has been forever aru."

"Holding you right now in my arms like this, I remember that during college I would have never imagined this possible da," Ivan said. "You know... everyday when I wake up and see you here next to me, it's like God gave me my own personal miracle."

"Stop that aru." Yao protested weakly, embarrassed but pleased. "It's not really a miracle. You don't even believe in God, Ivan."

Ivan laughed. "Neither do you, Yao. But my point is that I didn't mean anything to you at the start of college," he stated. "So it really is a miracle in that sense."

Yao had nothing to say to that because his memories spoke the same.

* * *

**Did I dissapoint? Hopefully not too much...anyways I'll get a chance to redeem myself in chapter 12. Yup, you heard it. More. The next chapter is basically going to feature some serious flashbacks. Anyways, right now I'm at a point in the plot where anything could go...any way I choose is going to end up entertaining. Whoa...I sound kind of pompous there. That's not what I meant. It's more like I'm overwhelmed a bit by options, so...I'm going to let you guys choose. Without giving away more plot, just post what you think would be the most interesting scene out of the options:**

**A) England bursting in on Yao at a awkward moment... B) Toris paying Yao a house visit... **

**C) Alfred enjoys dinner at Ivan's... ****D) Kiku visiting Yao**

**I'll probably take the first response. Then depending, I'll see if I can work on integrating all these components. No promises, though.**


	11. A Brief Flashback

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XI: A Brief Flashback**

**FallingBreathless**

**

* * *

**

_Hey guys! I cannot say how much joy it brings me to finally be able to upload another chapter. Those of you who are still reading...I mean just 'wow' It makes my day. I have been super busy since the last chapter: School, tests, finals, projects, social stress...etc. Well, yup. Sorry if you were expecting a steamy bed scene...that has been pushed back a bit. PROMISE THOUGH that it will indeed happen (it's actually tied to the plotline...) so yea._

_Apparently, according to one of my close friends, I write like Dickens.  
My response: -heat tilt- What?_

Turns out, AKA, it takes me forever to move on with the plot. Blah! I don't know what you guys think though. ENOUGH of me and my weirdness, you guys are here to read the story...not a biography of my life :D

_

* * *

_"You know, I was in my second year when I met you," Yao started, not knowing where he was going with the topic. "I was busy with homework, busy with Kiku and with Yong Soo at home, busy keeping the world from swallowing me. I wasn't ready for the trouble that you brought along with you."

Yao could still remember the exact moment that their lives had been intertwined. He had been chatting with Kiku in the commons, working hard through an assignment and running on caffeine. Kiku had been twirling a strand of Yao's hair, and he had been about to tell him to stop that when there had been a sharp crash followed by clattering of hard surface upon hard surface that had swept through the quiet atmosphere. Everyone had immediately turned to see what had happened.

The initial 'ground zero' had a ring of spectators standing around, eyes bulging. A hiss of whispers spread like frost from the epicenter. In the center stood three key figures. Yao had turned too to watch the spectacle.

Alfred Jones was spouting 'American' cusses as he helped his brother up. Everyone knew the Jones one way or another. The blonde was famous on the football team; tall, blonde, and always in a good mood…well usually.

"What the fuck was that!" Alfred demanded. "Watch where you're going bastard."

The other who Yao did not recognize was another tall and blonde with a nose that even from a distance, Yao could tell was large.

"I will not apologize, da. I see no reason to do so. He was in my way, so he gets what he deserves, and he will kindly get out of my way" the other responded with a Russian accent, smiling merrily.

Everyone who had been secretly observing was shocked. What a cold sort of logic.

"Fuck, you're messed up," was Alfred's response, before shaking his head like a disappointed father figure. "Anyways, I'll let it pass this time. It's not a big deal anyways. Come on Matthew, let's go and get you another tray."

It was during this period, after Alfred spoke, before the other snapped, and before Yao had been dragged into the situation, that everyone finally noticed the cafeteria tray on the ground with food smashed, an apple on it's side, shards of glass littered in a pool of juice…between the two talking men –the evidence for conflict.

"Come on, Yao. Let's go to the library."

Yao had turned away from the scene, losing interest, about to agree with Kiku, when a voice echoed through the room.

"I, Ivan Braginski, declare war with Alfred Jones, and I will win da. You will serve as witnesses."

In front of Yao, Kiku's right eye had visibly twitched in annoyance. Grabbing his books, Yao got up and started dragging Kiku off to the library. He'd need Kiku to stay focused if the other was going to help him file papers.

However, before Yao could do so, a large hand settling on his shoulder had stopped him in his tracks. Looking up, it was the proclaimed Ivan, staring down at him.

"Hello," Ivan said, towering over Yao. "Nice to meet you. I am Ivan Braginski. You caught my attention just then. I could not help noticing you as you stood up; you will go out with me, da."

Yao felt his jaw drop with shock, indignation, anger… Glancing over at Kiku, Yao saw his emotions reflected on the other's face. Kiku looked as if he'd walked into class unprepared for a surprise test. Look back at the still smiling Russian, Yao struggled to regain control over his brain and tongue.

"I- you want me to be your WHAT aru?"

"You did not hear me da?" the other asked. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

Yao shook his head in pure disbelief at the guy's audacity and ignorance. He was so going to go off on this guy.

"I am sorry, but I am going to have to reject your offer... I-I'm a guy! Are you blind? Why in the world would –how did you –what the heck are you…ARGH!"

Another hand came to rest on the shoulder unoccupied by Ivan; it was Alfred.

"Calm down Yao! Geez…(you even forgot to say 'aru')," soothed the American. Meanwhile the Russian stared daggers with his, what-Yao-was-astonished-to-see violet eyes. "Back off Ivan," Alfred continued. "Yao's a guy. Yeah, I wondered at first to, but apparently it's true. Also, this wasn't what I was talking about when I brought up 'American' competition."

Ivan blinked, processing the information. He was obviously skeptical to the American's statements.

"Neyt, I do not care about what you mean by 'American' competition. But you do need your glasses checked. She is obviously a girl da." Ivan replied, giving Yao a winning smile. "I'm so sorry about our ignorant friend over there. Rest assured, you are very attractive da. The most beautiful girl I have seen in this entire school, anywhere, so I want you to be my girlfriend."

And with that Yao had been lifted into the air and onto the Russian's shoulder.

Face going red, Yao had become center stage for curious eyes. Girls were either jealous oor felt pity for Yao, which didn't really bug him. What was insulting was the light of interest in his situation from his male peers. He'd somehow replaced Matthew and his tray as the object of conflict. He'd also received the most insulting compliments(?) in all his life.

"Let me go damn it aru! I am not a girl!" he shouted, twisting in Ivan's iron grasp. He aimed an elbow jab into the other's back. Nothing happened except for a non-convincing 2-second belated "ouch" from the still smiling Ivan. "Damn it, let me down you bastard!"

Alfred chuckled. "See what I mean?"

When Ivan made no response, Alfred tried again.

"So I take it that you go for feisty ones."

"Alfred?" Yao hissed, still struggling.

Ivan was freaking strong. Yao felt like a bird in a cage. "You're not helping aru! I swear when I get down from here I will- damn it! I will never lend you anything ever again, Alfred!"

"Sorry, Yao!" Alfred laughed putting up his hands in surrender. "I'll get serious if you promise to lend me a twenty for tonight."

"Wha- fine!" Yao sputtered. Of course, Alfred needed money –again. Football night. "Now, help me now aru!"

Alfred laughed again, laying a hand on the Russian's shoulder, the one unoccupied by Yao, as if everything was a great big joke.

"Hahaha…this is really a funny situation. Hah!"

"If you want to believe it is such, but I do not care for your opinion though" Ivan replied. "I am a busy person, so I will be leaving with Yao now."

"Wait!"

Yao's head spun to see Kiku, who had finally spoken up. He looked flustered, that was unusual. "You can not just go and abduct people as you wish. And I do not think Yao is happy at the moment."

Without even blinking, Ivan deadpanned. "I will fix that later. Now please leave us be, da."

By then, Yao's back muscles were beginning to wear out from constantly fighting gravity. He'd have to do something quick...

"Ivan?" Yao asked tentatively.

The addressed glanced back at his captive. "What is it dear Yao?"

"Um…I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable up here," Yao replied, putting on his best acting skills. Think innocent and cute. "Could you maybe put me down for a second…uh…Ivan?"

Yao had finished off his short monologue with large eyes and a pout. He hoped he hadn't over done it. However, as seconds passed without a single response, Yao knew he'd been too obvious. Argh! Now not only had he embarrassed himself to the rest of the world, he'd gotten nothing in return for it… Alfred's mouth was agape and Kiku just stared at him, still flustered looking. Ivan had… "Woah!"

Ivan had set him back down.

"See, you are now back on the ground da."

"Uh…yeah…" Yao managed as he felt an arm snake around his waist.

"Okay, fun time is over. It's time to stop."

In front of Yao, Alfred had finally stepped up to the plate. Alfred had his serious face on now. Gone was the smile and gone was the joking. He was taking action and the reflection of the fluorescent lighting on his glasses, made his eyes appear especially sharp. "Let go of Yao, Ivan."

"Nyet," was the other's reply –simple and chilly in its simplicity and strength. "You cannot make me."

Either Alfred had already been planning to do so, or Ivan's words had just egged him on. Alfred blurred. Hand moving forward, grabbing Yao's hand, and Yao felt air pass by him as the contact on his waist disappeared. He found himself standing behind Alfred left hand encompassed by Alfred's.

Ivan's eyes narrowed. And his hand reached for something hidden under the long trench coat that he wore. The entire room tensed; Yao's hands started getting clammy. Alfred seemed indifferent, glancing back to wink at Yao.

"How about we talk about that twenty later over at my room, 'kay? It looks like Kiku wants you to go with him."

Yao had no idea what had happened afterwards. All he remembers is Kiku ushering him off to the safety of the library…and later that night he couldn't find Alfred.

* * *

Sometimes it is just astounding what the mind can accomplish. Almost instantly Yao's mind changed gears, and Yao found himself back in the present. Ivan was lying down next to him, purple eyes staring into his.

"Ivan?"

"What is it, Yao?"

"I was just thinking back to college. Remember the first time we met?"

Ivan smiled.

"Of course. It was fate, beautiful, and eventful, no?"

Yao couldn't help but return his smile.

"Of course aru. But I was wondering, whatever happened that night? I mean, between you and Alfred."

Ivan frowned, embracing Yao with renewed strength.

"What does it matter, about that American bastard, da. Why do you bring him up at a time like this?"

Yao absentmindedly let his fingers trail figure eights on the solid, smoothness of Russian skin.

"I was just curious. I never found out after all aru."

A low rumble of a laugh issued out from the owner of the skin, making Yao's skin buzz from the vibrations. The sound abated, absorbed into the sheets, skin, and mood.

"Well, I suppose it won't hurt to tell you. Since I won anyways da."

* * *

**I've already started on the next chapter with much difficulty. I had to make sure it was a good 'fight' but it couldn't be too good or else it would take away from the Ivan vs. Alfred that is needed in the climax of the plot. Erm. Do I even make sense? [don't answer that]**

**So yup. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and hopefully we'll all have a great time welcoming in a new decade in a few days!**


	12. Summation of the Night

****

The Smell of Vodka

Chapter XII: Summation of the Night

FallingBreathless

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_It has been another passage of time. More to the story to read! I liked how this part came out...but I'm starting to worry that my characters are disintegrating...er...how do I explain? I mean, I feel worried that the more I write that the characters might be well, out of character. If anyone notices any really strange character action PLEASE tell me. I will definitely look over it and probably change it. _

_Thanks go out to everyone who has been sticking with this story. Also thanks to my friend Bekkah who I plot conference with and ask her does blah or blah sound better? You're the most awesome guinea pig *grins*_

_Also, I'm super excited. In my AP European History class, we are starting WWI and proceeding through WWII for this unit! It's going to be a BLAST. Schleiffen Plan...battle strategies, results, nationalism, militarism,etc. In class I'm practically glowing :) I talk about things via Hetalia style. I've gotten some strange looks when I said, "Germany was being an idiot! He just had to pick a fight with Ivan and drag in France and Arthur!" Hahaha. I also should probably stop writting "[country] got his/her butt whipped in [war] by [country]" in my notes with emotes._

_Anyways, enjoy and tell me how I'm doing!_

* * *

In the darkness of the night, broken only at intervals by the light of lampposts two figures traveled across the foliage of the university grounds.

One stopped and waited impassively near the campus clock tower; checking the time and glancing up at every face he came across. Those who did pass had their hoods up against the wind that had been picking up; only the most curious bothered to cast the young man a glance before hurrying off to their intended destinations.

It wasn't as if the scene was remarkable, a young man waiting for some lucky girl for nighttime rendezvous. Perhaps, she'd be along any moment, or perhaps he would be left standing there. Anyways, it was still none of their business.

Without any indication, the young man's entire being jerked to attention as his curious violet eyes locked on some figure in the distance. If anyone happened to be watching, he or she might have been shocked to discover the identity of the expected individual. However, since there was no one, there was no one to be surprised. For it was none other than the school's football star who arrived, jogging.

"You're late da. I was afraid that I had scared you off."

Alfred took off his glasses and with a hand wiped the sweat from his forehead. His jog hadn't been a short stretch, not to say that he almost entirely forgot about his meet up with the Russian foreign exchange student.

"Like hell that would happen."

Content with this answer, Ivan smiled and in the overhead lighting, the effect was ghastly.

"It is of no matter to me."

"Uh yea, let's just get on with it," Alfred retorted, after a brief pause. "I have better crap to do than stand here talking with you."

"Da. It is likewise. Shall we begin?"

To tell the truth, Alfred hesitated. Sure he was in good physical condition, but the other guy was also undeniably in shape. In terms of height advantage, Alfred had none. Also, Ivan seemed to be off. There wasn't another way to describe it. There was just something off about the guy. For instance, he was wearing a long trench coat and a scarf even in T-shirt weather –not to mention leather gloves. Plus, Alfred had a sinking suspicion that like himself, Ivan would have no qualms over a few spilt drops of blood. However, none of that mattered much to Alfred at this point. To back down would be to admit defeat, and the blond didn't like to lose.

"Bring it."

With that Ivan's smile grew even bigger, violet eyes narrowed, reflected by blue ones. The Russian took a step forward, closing in on the space between them. Alfred stood his ground. A gust of wind sent scarf and hair whipping and then died down like a wounded beast.

Ivan smiled. This was going to be fun. And after he won, he'd go find Yao. Yes, there was nothing to fear. But looking again at the football player, Ivan wasn't a fool. He'd read enough to know that underestimating ones opponent was a key element for defeat. The other was intending to put up a fight, it was obvious from the steely glint in the other's blue eyes. Yes, Ivan wouldn't underestimate Jones. Still smiling, Ivan reached into his coat.

Seeing this, Alfred tensed as his own right hand started making its way towards his back pocket.

Calmly, Ivan's hand firmly got a hold of a most familiar object, his metal pipe. It had been something he had picked up a few years ago, and had proven to be more than useful. He drew it out into the open. The metal seemed to glow in the light. Fighting down the urge to test his pipe against the other's skull, to hear the sweet sound of metal and bone, Ivan waited like a gentlemen for the other to make the first move.

"We did agree to a single weapon, no?"

Alfred's initial shock didn't stop him from whipping out his- His hand met air. It was gone, his gun wasn't there. Panicking, he searched all of his pockets, only to confirm the worst. It was laundry day; his brother Matthew must have had found the gun by then. Shit.

Meanwhile, Ivan had observed the other's strange behavior. He was not amused. "I am not here to simply play with you. If you are not ready, then I will start da."

"W-wait aru!"

Ivan was suddenly interrupted in his story telling.

"What is it da?" He asked.

Beside him, Yao's eyes were huge with eyebrows drawn in anxiously.

"Before you continue, please just tell me that…"

Ivan raised an eyebrow as he waited for Yao to continue. "...that you didn't knock him out with your pipe." Yao ended.

The Russian man let out a dark whisper of a laugh and planted a gentle kiss on the top of Yao's head.

"I only wish I did. That would have saved us a lot of trouble da."

Yao frowned; feeling a bit conflicted as to how to react to the other's reply. It was kind of endearing and kind of unsettling. The unsettling part won out. At least Alfred didn't get hit in the head.

"That's not funny aru."

"It wasn't supposed to be," Ivan replied, still a hint of laughter in his voice. "Anyways, what happened was…"

xxx

Faster than what one would supposed of a man of Ivan's height and size, Ivan had propelled himself towards the other. With pipe in hand, Ivan swung. Their eyes met for a split second before Ivan's pipe cut through thin air. Cussing in Russian, Ivan turned the see Alfred crouching on the ground nearby.

"We are not running away, are we da?"

Alfred's adrenaline was pumping. The guy meant business. Standing up, Alfred straightened down his shirt. He was going to get killed unless he did something, and do it soon.

"Of course not, I was just thinking what a fucking pussy you are."

Ivan's eyes darkened.

"You won't be thinking so after I am done with you. Da. In fact, you won't be thinking much about anything when I am done. Kindly, stand still. I will be driving my pipe through your ignorant skull."

However, it was in Alfred's interest to be anything but still. As Ivan wielded his pipe with apparent practice, Alfred was dodging for his life. Run, duck, twist, pivot, and drop as each time the metal pipe was barely missed with a few stingling scrapes. Nearby bushes were reduced to bare limbs, chunks of turf were sent flying and still the Russian continued as if he was having the fucking time of his life –which Alfred didn't doubt. Must have been some effed up version of whack-a-mole and golf.

"You" –dodge- "wanna know" –dodge- "why you are" –dodge- "such a pussy?" Alfred screamed, as Ivan's pipe came especially close to his ear. "It's cause real men don't compete with their fists –er- pipes."

Ivan, curious, continued swinging with less zeal but still with enough power to take off the other's head.

"My American friend, what are you talking about? You will lose no matter. Why don't you just let me end this quickly, da. It will be less painful; I have much better things I could be doing."

Taking a chance to catch his breath, Alfred dropped and rolled out of reach and stalled -spouting whatever came to mind.

"Uh, well. If you really want to compete, how we do it over here is…uh…drink and compare assets…"

"Drink? If it is drinking, you cannot win da. And what is this about assets?" Then adding, as an afterthought, "There is no competition either way."

Alfred, seeing Ivan's interest in –mostly likely- the alcohol, quickly seized the opportunity.

"Are you sure about that? I happen to be the drinking champ at this campus. Why don't we head over to the nearest bar? And while we're going there, I'll tell you all about assets."

Ivan still had his pipe out ready at hand, and his cynicism still evident. Finally, in Alfred's last ditch effort, he added. "Drinks on me."

Fortunate for Alfred, Ivan agreed. Stashing away his pipe, Ivan slung a well-muscled arm around Alfred's shoulders.

"Let us proceed then."

After all, it would be much more satisfying to beat Alfred, drink vodka, have the other guy pay, and drink vodka all the while. Smiling, Ivan walked with Alfred, toward town.

xxx

The two unlikely companions attracted attention in the relatively small university town. Two tall, good-enough-to-be-a-model blonds, just walking down the street and glancing at each other in turns with animosity; just your average, typical streetwalkers.

Ivan walked down James Blvd in silence. He was actually in a strangely good mood considering the situation. His muscles felt the warmth of a nice excursion. The night was nice, the streetlights were muted fireflies in the increasingly foggy night, and he could feel the reassuring chill of his pipe pressed against the side of his thigh. The only thing that was lacking was a decent companion. His thoughts immediately went to the pretty Asian girl he had met earlier, but right then he'd even settle for the company of his sister –well one of his sisters.

They finally came to a stop in front of a cozy bar named simply The MUG. Alfred stepped in and didn't bother to watch if Ivan was following or not and took a bar seat.

"Two beers."

"Bad day, hun?" asked the tired looking bartender. Then looking up she asked, "He with you? Cause he looks like trouble, and I don't want any of that."

The latter part was addressed toward Ivan, who had entered after Alfred. Ivan was swiftly checking out the establishment and its patrons. Yellowish lighting, pool table, smoking men, drunkards, and ugly women: there was clearly no threat.

"Yeah, he's with me. Drinking contest, Cindy."

Ivan of course realized they were talking about him, it was obvious in the way the bartender kept giving him warning glances, so he quickly dropped into the empty seat next to Alfred's, and accorded Cindy with one of his trademark smiles.

"Hello, Alfred here said that he was treating. It is nice to meet you da."

Cindy felt endangered and choked out 'um uh' before managing a "same to you." The drinks were soon plopped in font of Alfred and Ivan, and Cindy was all too happy to serve another group of drinkers. She had had the most unnerving flashback of the history channel special last night: A special about the impact of machineguns on the bodies of charging soldiers during WWI.

"You need some serious help."

"As do you, no?" Ivan kolkolkoled; Alfred only started on another beer in response.

Ivan followed suit, with only a frown of disgust. He wished it were vodka instead. His next glass would, without a doubt, be vodka.

After ten rounds, now with Ivan breathing in vodka, the two of them were beginning to show the telltale hints of drunkenness…well at least Alfred was. No one in the bar could tell with the one with the Russian accent.

"Another round, Cindy!" Alfred cheered with his empty mug, eyes a bit too bright with a light blush on his cheekbones. "I tell you, this guy over here is going the fuck down!"

The indicated individual only smiled complacently and passed over his also empty glass to Cindy who had dropped into a state of soberness unbefitting of a bartender.

"Now, are you sure about this? I mean this is costing you a fortune. Not to mention your health, hun!" She chided Alfred lightly, as she poured them another round.

As much as she found Alfred endearing, what she was really worried for was for the establishment. Her worry wasn't misplaced. When morning came, the place would be little more than a miniaturized ground zero setup swarmed with cops. Speculations had ranged from terrorists to alien visitation.

Another couple of rounds, and suddenly, Alfred lurched up to a stand.

"Restroom" he mumbled before heading towards the back of the room.

Then hand on the plastic door, he suddenly looked glanced back. "Almost forgot, follow me Commie. I'll show you something that will make you reconsider your definition of 'dick.'"

Ivan, who had been keeping a sharp eye on Alfred, only gave the slightest lift of his eyebrow, at being addressed as "Commie," before pushing himself up and away from the bar. He had no doubt what Alfred was suggesting, but he'd humor the other for a bit longer…

xxx

"Let's just stop there aru." Yao interjected, feeling very uncomfortable with where the story was headed. "I don't need to know the rest."

Really, he did not need another complication for his workplace. Not being able to stare at your business associate in the eye would definitely count as a complication. Ivan just grinned back with a gleam in his eyes that was all predator.

"Certainly, you should know who won da."

When the other didn't respond, Ivan's hand gave Yao's member a small squeeze.

"Jesus, Ivan!" Yao exclaimed, swatting the offending hand away from one of his more sensitive areas. "Do you really want me to answer that question aru?"

"Da." Came the grinning reply.

"Fine, I'm guessing you did, or you wouldn't have asked me."

"There is no doubt. I had _that_ bastard reevaluating _his_ definition instead. His was hardly more than-"

"Ivan!"

Unperturbed and still smiling, wider now, Ivan snuck a hand back. "I-Ivan, what are you doing?" Yao demanded as the hand he had dislodged earlier was back in full force.

Ivan "kolkolkoled."

"It is obvious, da. Currently, my interests lie in more active investments of our time."

A very-unmanly squeak was all Yao got in before Ivan pinned down his arms with a single hand. Twisting unsuccessfully to escape the other's grasp, Yao, not for the first time, cursed the other's unnatural (but incredibly stunning to look at) physical strength.

"Ivan…"

The Russian sighed, really. How many tones could the other manage to give his name… However, holding back demands a bit longer, Ivan loosened his grip with a Herculean effort.

"Da?"

"I swear-"

Suddenly, a sharp metallic sound cut Yao's retort short. The two of them froze for a second, looking at each other curiously, as if the other was responsible for the sound, before Yao let out a small laugh –more smirk than sound. It was the alarm Ivan has set earlier. It was already at the half-hour mark "-I believe that you only have half an hour left. No, less than that, now. Want to call off our bet aru?"

Even Ivan's lips quirked at this recent development. Letting go of his prisoner, Ivan quickly rolled out of bed and made way to the timer –promptly to proceed in smashing the annoying deterrent into an electronic patty with a fist. Yao was a little startled but managed to keep from commenting before Ivan made his way back to bed. Really, Yao, though a bit annoyed. He wished Ivan would have chosen something else to destroy…

"I hope you are going to replace that aru."

"Of course."

Yao pursed his lips at the Russian who crawled back to join him in the bed.

"Fine, then let's get some sleep since the bet's off-"

"I never agreed to that da," Ivan interjected.

Yao's sleep-deprived brain took a second to compute what the other just said.

"Don't be silly, Ivan. You destroyed the-"

A frankly evil smile played at the corners of the other's lips. Yao paused. Heart palpating like a gazelle in face of becoming dinner, or breakfast, or even lunch... "No, aru. You know that you couldn't possible…not in –glance- 26 minutes…I won't let you."

Pulling the reluctant silky skin to press against his own, Ivan smiled into the other's fine hair.

"Who ever said that I would follow the rules," Yao shivered at the sensation of hot breath at his ear. "You should know better than that, Jao."

This time, before Yao could shiver again, due to an entirely different reason.

"Fine. Only this once though…"

Ivan smiled as his lips found Yao's. Really, if Yao didn't start restraining him a bit more…He'd completely devour the other: skin, blood, heart and soul.

Within minutes, Yao's world disappeared, all except for sensations and sparkling violet eyes: heat, chill, smooth, pain, pleasure, salt and sugar, winter and passion…the smell of sunflowers and vodka.

On the other end, Ivan's world had also disappeared as his eyes locked into amber ones: silk, soft, smooth, warm, passion, want, need and desire, lust and love –for more of spring, teas, silks and spices. His hunger, desperation, and addiction…Jao.

* * *

**Look forward to my next installment! Hahaha. The plot will really pick up the pace; I promise.**


	13. The Happiest Man in the World

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XIII: The Happiest Man in the World**

**FallingBreathless**

* * *

_First to start things off, "Yeah, it's summer!" Also, I am not that great with being all gushy with my feelings and stuff BUT I would like to step out of character to tell you guys that your reviews were...they were what kept me from giving up on this story. So, "thanks" and "yes, you may grin all you want in front of your screen." Hahaha. Also, no review is a bad review! Review confidently folks cause I'll love you no matter what you say. Although I may love you a little, just a teensy bit less if, you are just gonna be a YouTube troll...er...one on FanFic via reviews. Though luckily that hasn't happened yet :D_

_Hopefully, you guys will continue to show such support and keep on reading this. I am kind of worrried that my writing is lagging...finals really just sucked the energy right out of me. Well, without further ado. READ! XD_

* * *

Morning came one again as the sun yawned and stretched his fingers across the land, spreading out slowly like a silk scarf, gradual as a mother's caress to that of a sleeping infant, bathing all it touched with a warm, orange glow. Then, upon waking up, the world was flooded with light and life as if an imaginary power switch had clicked on. The sound of traffic murmured from that of a faint buzz into a stream of purrs, and the sound of people and movement grew as men and women put on their suits and skirts, armor to fight for another day's paycheck in the corporate world.

However, in the midst of the suburban and urban early morning bustle, an entirely different world remained cocooned in the velvety down of sleep. In this haven, time was still as irrelevant as it had been at the dawn of life; it simply passed by unnoticed.

Sunlight hit long black lashes, turning them into a rich amber-brown. Eyelids fluttered delicately before revealing golden brown irises whose oil black pupils instantly adjusted to the bright light.

Yao had left the land of the slumbering.

However, though his eyes were open, he found himself still in a state of tranquility, of semi-consciousness. He felt reborn, a newborn unaware of oneself and intrigued by the world around. He did not think about the stress of work, the problems with the people in his life, or even what he was going to wear. He was there, but at the moment, he didn't even know his own name. He didn't even contemplate whether or not he wanted to know his own name. He simply was content to just be, exist, and take pleasure in the present.

A room bathed in sunlight, the smell of incense, burned out but still lingering in the air. The way the light played to create nuances in the color of the walls, the bed sheets, and the tangle of blond hair next to him.

As his mind slowly began waking, Yao found himself staring face-to-face with Ivan. Greedily, he took in the details of his sleeping companion: pale blond hair, and equally blond lashes on a background of pale, creamy colored skin. Ivan's sleeping face looked so peaceful that one could have easily mistaken him for an angel of Michelangelo's depiction, if Michelangelo had had the urge to paint a sexy, well-toned angel that is. Lips stretched into a smile as lashes opened to reveal violet eyes, which stared into amber ones.

"Good morning, Jao."

Yao was awake enough to blush, appalled at being caught staring at the other's face.

"G-good morning aru," he murmured. "How long, um, have you been awake?"

"A while," Ivan replied smiling. It was infrequent at best that he'd get to wake up in bed with Yao, what with his always being on call and Yao being a workaholic.

Not wanting to ask how long that meant, Yao let himself be wrapped into an embrace before going even redder, if possible. He'd forgotten that they weren't wearing anything. Pushing away from Ivan, he caught sight of a pile of fabric, the dress that had been discarded, laying crumpled in a corner. It quickly reminded Yao that there were worse things that he could have been wearing rather than just simply his skin.

Strong arms found their way back around Yao's body. A small gasp escaped Yao's lips as his back pressed into Ivan's chest and Ivan's….pressed against his ass. "Let's go another round, da."

Before Yao was going to modestly turn down Ivan's suggestion, something behind Ivan's head caught Yao's eye.

"Shit," Yao cussed uncharacteristically as he realized that it was the remains of his alarm clock, its digital face blank and cracked. Glancing at the amount of sunlight filtering into the room, Yao guessed it was already around nine. ""I'm going to be late for work. No, never mind, I am already late."

Ivan frowned.

"Don't go to work today then."

Yao shook his head and grimaced.

"I can't do that," then turning, Yao narrowed his eyes. "You need to go to work too! Damn it aru. Of all the things you could have destroyed, why did you have to destroy my clock?"

Pushing himself up into a sitting position, a jolt of pain shot up from the base of Yao's spine. This. Was. Not. Happening. Tentatively biting down the pain, Yao slid himself to the edge of the bed. Taking in a deep breath, he got up from the bed.

Pain burst behind his eyes like white lilies blocking his sight. He crumpled at the knees as if invisible strings had been cut. But before he hit the ground, large hands propped Yao up. He was like a little kid once more. His face went scarlet. Unlike a child, Yao was fully conscious of Ivan's nudity. Only the searing pain kept Yao from pulling away from the other's supporting hands and diving under the covers out of embarrassment as he was reminded very physically how he, himself, was also wearing nothing.

Ivan hadn't missed the slight tightening of the corners of Yao's mouth while the other had gotten into a sitting position. Then, when Yao had started falling, he didn't think before he had caught the other mid-fall. One second he had been in bed, the next he was propping up his love, heart thudding loudly under his skin. For a millisecond, some irrational fear had made Ivan's blood run cold. There was a slight relaxation of Ivan's shoulders before he calmed down. Sighing, Ivan laid Yao back onto the bed.

"I will say it again, 'Don't go to work today.' Stay at home."

"You know that I can't do that aru," Yao forced his body into a sitting position once again. "All I need a shower and then I'll be fine."

This time he made it three or four steps before he found himself losing his fight against gravity. Once again Ivan was there to catch him before he fell.

"It's not going to happen, Yao," Ivan announced, setting Yao back onto the bed. "It doesn't matter how many times you try to get out of bed," he added, seeing the other readying himself to make another attempt at the impossible feat.

Fighting the urge to grit his teeth, Ivan waited patiently as Yao once again painfully pulled himself into a sitting position. Yao couldn't simply accept his fate; it could be possible that the soreness would go away after moving a bit more. Maybe he had just slept funny.

Seeing the other's stifled, pained expression once again, Ivan couldn't stand it anymore. Yao was too hardworking for his own good. He couldn't and wouldn't stand for it. If he let Yao to somehow manage to go to work in his current condition, then he'd be a failure as a man.

Suddenly, Yao left the bed, and he found himself being carried bridal style in Ivan's arms. "Yao, you are staying home and that is that, da. I will keep you here even if I have to watch you the entire day," Ivan stated, emphasizing his point by setting the other back into a laying postion on the afore mentioned bed.

"I have to get to work. Without me there, there is no way any thing will get done. The company cannot run without me aru," Yao demanded, trying to make Ivan see how going to work wasn't an option but a dire necessity. "Unless someone is yelling at them, my coworkers will cause nothing but trouble."

"I am sure that the company will be fine without you for a day. The people you work with can manage themselves; I am sure they are competent people."

Yao immediately thought of Feliciano, Im Yong Soo, Francis and that other guy who worked the front desk…breaking PDA rules, and the last time he'd seen Arthur, drunk. Yao knew for sure that they, and thus the company, would definitely NOT be fine without him. He could already imagine it: the building burning down, drunks asleep in the halls, important paperwork being lost. It was a workaholic's mental hell.

As if Ivan could read Yao's mind, he planted a light, placating kiss onto the other's collarbone and added the deciding blow. "Yao, you must realize that you could not do anything even if you were there. You cannot even make it to the bathroom without assistance." The last part was a chuckle, which immediately incited an indignant huff.

A few stubborn seconds of silence elapsed before Yao finally gave in.

"Fine," he muttered unwillingly.

Reason was reason enough. There was no way he would be asking Arthur or anyone at work to "assist him to the restroom." Plus, He knew it would be pointless to continue with the argument; Ivan wasn't going to change his verdict. However, that didn't mean that he was going to consent to everything. He had lost the war but there were the peace treaty terms to be negotiated. He wasn't going to surrender to his fate unconditionally. "But _you_ still need to go to work aru," Yao added pointedly.

Relieved that Yao was dropping the idea of going to work, Ivan consented to the other's demand.

"Da. I can do that; I suppose."

"Also, you need to call them to say that you're going to be late for work aru. Also, I'll need to…um," Yao's forehead crinkled as he tried to remember the protocol for missing work in such a situation as his. He hadn't missed a day of work for years, and it wasn't as if the company handbook covered such situations. "Well, could you call in for me, Ivan, and tell them that I am…er…sick?"

"Da."

"Thanks aru. Also, tell them that if –no when- some thing comes up that they should reach me on my cell immediately, regardless."

Giving a nod, Ivan began heading toward the door, stopping under the doorframe to look back. Yao was sprawled on the bed sheets, porcelain skin, soft and warm, bare except for black silky hair loose from its customary hair tie. Long, slender legs and arms, thighs moist from –Ivan averted his eyes blushing faintly. "Shall I assist you to the restroom?" he asked, politely staring away from his bedridden angel.

Feeling shy and embarrassed, Yao only managed half of his previous grumble.

"I suppose it cannot be helped."

Ivan smiled amusedly in response, walking back to gently scoop up Yao into his arms. Yao looped his arms around Ivan's neck as Ivan shifted Yao's weight to free his right hand. Grabbing a clean set of clothes for Yao, Ivan carried Yao down the hall to their bathroom.

Meanwhile, Yao wondered for a split second if he was heavy or not: Could he have recently gained some weight? He quickly dismissed the idea. Really, he was too old to be in such situations and worrying about such trivial matters…

XXX

"Hey, Ivan do you think that recently I've been eating more than I normally do?"

Glancing back from the bathtub, Ivan cast a curious look toward the figure seated on top of the toilet lid.

"Eating is healthy da," he replied, getting up to grab a clean towel from the bathroom closet.

"That wasn't answer my question aru," Yao pouted (or frowned), although he was still grateful when Ivan passed him the towel. It gave him something to cover himself up with.

"Yao, I know what this is about, but you are being nonsensical da. You barely eat as is."

Yao gave no response but just dismally pinched at what-little-tummy fat he had. The action spoke for itself, and it drew and immediate response from Ivan. Ivan's hands firmly grasped Yao's hands and set them at rest in the other's lap. "Yao, I am a doctor da. So listen to me; instead of worrying about your weight or rather the lack of, I want you to stop thinking that you need to change yourself. To me you are already the most beautiful person on this planet, so you don't have to worry about something so insignificant."

"I-it's not like I'm worried about what you think," Yao muttered, unable to meet the other's loving expression. "It's just that…um…"

Yao had no idea where he was going with his rambling. As the silence continued, Ivan decided to give Yao a little encouragement.

"Are you worried about what will happen if you if you, for instance, gained an extra 30 lbs in the next year?"

Yao blanched at the thought: he couldn't even imagine himself with another 5 lbs let alone six times that amount.

"Of course I would be worried! Who wouldn't be, if they gained that much weight in such a short period of time aru! If that happened you wouldn't -"

Realizing his slip up, Yao quickly clamped his mouth shut. However, Ivan had already caught the other's words.

"I wouldn't _what_?"

"I-it's nothing important aru!" Yao protested. "Let's just forget about it."

The roar of water splashing into the tub filled the background as Ivan and Yao stared at each other. Ivan's hands let go of their hold on Yao's smaller ones to cup the other's face.

"I will not forget," Ivan stated, cutting into the continuous sound of water. "I want to know what you're thinking, Yao."

Yao flinched as felt the touch of skin and suddenly he was staring down into earnest, imploring violet irises. Frankly, it was unfair of Ivan to do that to him. The look had been used on him since Im Yong Soo was eight years old. Really.

"Fine!" Yao shouted, not as angry as he wanted to sound. "Alright, alright, already. Cut that out aru!"

Ivan beamed; he had only hoped that the puppy-dog look would work. Although, guiltily, he remembered that he'd gotten the idea from several years back during Christmas when Im Yong Soo had guilt-pleaded Yao into buying him some video game or computer game that he'd wanted.

As a sort of apology, Ivan gave Yao a light kiss on the lips. After Ivan pulled away, Yao gave him a questioning raise of the eyebrow.

Ivan just smiled sunnily in response.

"So, would you care to explain what exactly it is that I would supposedly do? I would like to know da."

"Look," Yao started, absently playing with Ivan's hands. "I'm afraid. I am so very afraid aru. What I have right now. No, what _we_ have right now is completely new to me. This happiness that I am experiencing is something I have never even thought possible. But that's what scares me. It seems too perfect, too good to be true aru. The cynic in me keeps telling me that this won't last, that the world won't let it last. That something's going to break, and I'll be back at where I started. I don't want –no- I can't lose what we have, Ivan. If I had the choice between losing this and dying, I would choose-"

"Shh," Ivan interjected, pressing a finger to the other's lips. "Don't say it, Yao. Just don't."

He could not even bear to think of his love disappearing…gone, never being able to be returned.

For a moment, Yao fought the urge to release his words, but seeing the fear in the other's eyes, Yao's eyes softened as his resolve dissolved. "I want us to stay together aru. If I get unattractive, you might leave me."

"Leave you?" Ivan exclaimed, gripping Yao's smaller hands. "That must be a joke da. I could never leave you. I love you. You are the most beautiful person to have ever set foot on this planet."

"People are always saying that word, that I'm "beautiful." Is that all that I am? A pretty object to look at, to care for, to own? What if I change? I won't look like this forever aru. I can't beat time."

"Jao, listen to me. I can't speak for those in your past, but you mean much more to me than I could possibly describe with mere words da. You will always be the best part of me, and I will always love you. Nothing is going to change that: not the way you look and definitely not how much you weigh. The sun could be obliterated and the world cast into eternal darkness, death could be imminent for the human race, and I would still be standing next to you, wondering how someone like me ever got to be with someone like you. When I first saw you, it was like I was seeing the light of day for the first time; from then, I promised that I would be with you for eternity."

Yao shook his head as tears trailed down his face.

"No, don't say that, Ivan. I can't ask for forever," Yao said, voice quavering. "Those words…someone else once said them to me, and 'forever' turned out to shorter than what I thought. You can't promise me forever, no one can promise that."

"Then for as long as you want me," Ivan amended gently. "I'll never leave your side."

"That's all I could ask for. Thank you aru."

Then slowly, Yao wrapped the other into an embrace, trying to convey to Ivan what his words could not.

XXX

After a while, Yao let go of Ivan and moving to give the other some space.

"Ivan?"

"Yes, Yao?" Ivan asked, missing the sound of the other's heartbeat.

"You should stop the water now."

"What is that?" Ivan asked, a bit confused at the sudden change in conversation.

"The water for the bath. There's enough water already aru."

Then he remembered, the bath. With a quick motion, Ivan stopped the influx of water. The large stainless steel tub had filled with hot, steamy water during their conversation. Once the water had settled, Ivan lowered a finger into the water to test the temperature: slightly too hot, just the way Yao preferred it.

"Okay, ready for a bath, now?" Ivan asked, smiling tenderly as he scooped up Yao into his arms.

"Y-yes. Now let me go aru!" Yao blushed. "Just set me down. I can handle everything after that."

"Da. Then this is good?" Ivan asked, placing Yao into the water.

"Yes, that's good. Now, leave. It's embarrassing to have you help me bathe. I can at least handle that much aru."

Ivan tore his gaze away from the other's ink black hair in time to see Yao blush again and attempt to discreetly cover himself with his arms.

"Alright," Ivan consented as he headed for the door, glad that Yao had returned to his usual self. "Just make sure you call me if you need anything," Ivan added as he closed the door behind him. "I will be downstairs in the kitchen."

"I'll be fine," came the response. "Any-anyways, you worry too much."

"As do you da," Ivan replied, standing on the other side of the door.

Smiling as he headed to make breakfast and a few phone calls, Ivan felt like the happiest man in the world.

* * *

**I had a bit of trouble (aka writer's block) when trying to come up with a follow up scene for the last one. I didn't want it to be too lovey-dovey, but I also didn't want it to suddenly go WHAM! lets just jump to the corporate-semi-humorous plot again. Lol.**

**I am setting myself a deadline (we'll have to see how well that works out). The next chapter should come out...erm...I am aiming for this Friday (that's like July 1st or something)! Whoot whoot!**

**FallingBreathless**


	14. Morning Calls

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XIV: Morning Calls**

**FallingBreathless**

* * *

_Hahaha. So it appears that I have made the deadline. Whoot whoot. Wow, it's almost July 4th...I can already hear the fireworks going off at night in my neighborhood. Also, I keep finding myself singing Katy Perry's "Firework" _

_~"You just gotta ignite, the light, and let it shine, just own the night, like the fourth of July, cause baby you're a firework, com'on let your colors burst, make em go ah, ah, ah, when you shoot across the sky"_

_Anyways, I'll be uplading more ASAP (though it may be after the holiday) :D I've already started on the next chapter. More action, less "love fluff." So, YEAH for those who don't really like the gushy stuff and just want some plot movers and YEAH for me 'cause writing about love is HARD...since I frankly have no experience...oh gawd. More about my patheticness at the end . _

_SORRY to those who really like these types of cute...heartwarming(?) scenes. Action is starting again._

* * *

After he was sure that Ivan had left earshot, Yao let out a groan that he'd been holding in. The hot bath was doing wonders for his sore back.

"Tian ah," he sighed.

How in the world had he managed to say such embarrassing words? Talking about eating and not eating and even to the extent of other people's word choice… Then, thinking of embarrassing, Yao blushed as he thought of Ivan's words. Feeling a girlish giddiness, Yao submerged himself farther into the surrounding warmth.

Underwater, the only sound Yao could hear was the pounding of his heart. He opened his eyes and stared up at the surface, admiring its brightness. Really, the bathtub was much too large, it was about the size of a small pool, and Yao was enjoying that fact a bit too much. Still staring at the ripples of color, and yet not really seeing, Ivan's words seemed to echo around him.

_I promise…promise…eternity…I'll never leave your side…never…for as long as you want me…I promise…_

Sputtering out a stream of bubbles, he gasped for air as he resurfaced. The water had done nothing to cool his still burning cheeks. Fingers dragging back wet hair, Yao wondered, not for the first time how he could simply accept so much from someone.

Reaching an arm out of the water, he reached for the shampoo and soon his head was engulfed in white bubbles. Tilting his head back, Yao sighed and resigned himself to just feeling happy, feeling so at peace that it frankly scared him a little.

XXX

"No, Toris. No, no. Da. I am going to be at work."

"I-I am not sure what you mean, Ivan…uh, I mean Dr. Braginski. I –uh- they –uh- already marked you as –um-uh- on vacation, sir," came Toris's stuttered reply.

"Look," Ivan stated, not really concerned at all, "I am making breakfast for Yao, and I will be there later."

"Oh, that's great. I am sure that it will be appreciated," Toris replied automatically.

Then he remembered with dread that _that_ didn't make any sense at all with the purpose of their conversation. "Uh. No, that's not what I mean. It's not great. Er, no. That's not it. It's great that you're making breakfast, b-but what do you want me to do here at the hospital? I mean I can, uh, well someone can -uh-"

Ivan kolkolkoled at the other end at the other man's nervousness as he moved to the stove and started scrambling the eggs.

"Toris," Ivan chuckled, making the frightened man on the other end immediately shut up and go pasty. "Get Feliks on the line da?"

Color rapidly returning to his face, Toris quickly mumbled a "Yes, I can do that, Dr. Braginski," before he all but sprinted to find Feliks.

XXX

Back in the kitchen, a small ding signaled to Ivan that the toast was done. Turning down the heat, he left the eggs and grabbed a plate and fished out the two pieces of toast. Then, he grabbed the strawberry jam from the refrigerator, and set it all on the table in the next room.

"Hello, Feliks here."

"Hello," Ivan replied, jogging back to attend to his eggs.

"What's up?" The voice on the other end demanded. "Toris suddenly told me to pick up my phone and I was like, 'what the heck.' Anyways, I did. So, I am guessing like this was like all your fault, Ivan."

"Now, what is my fault?" Ivan asked, voice dropping half an octave at the other's irritating voice as he scraped the eggs onto a plate already occupied by three sausages. "I have done nothing deserving of accusation, no?"

In his office, Feliks felt a slight chill, but merely shrugged it off as the ventilation system kicking in.

"Yeah, like it's totally your fault, I mean, like it was all in a cup before and then now it's spreading all over my nice carpet. You are definitely going to be paying for this cause it's gonna stain."

"I have no idea what you are talking about that," Ivan replied, pulling out a knife from a drawer even though he had been in the process of getting a fork.

"I mean that my coffee has completely ruined my carpet!" Feliks gasped, starting to get worked up.

Really, the wool shag carpet was really wonderful on the feet, and its loss was horrifying. It would be devastating. He'd probably have to have to quit drinking coffee from now on, lest he be reminded of the monumentally tragic event that occurred…was occurring…the stain was still spreading.

"And what does that have to do with me?'

"Like 'DUH.' Do I need to spell it out for you or something?" Feliks jabbered, not really waiting for a reply. " 'Cause that's what it's looking like is gonna happen. Whatever. I'ma like gonna spell it out for ya. Basically, you scared the living shit out of Toris and so he like comes running in here all out of breath and whatnot and then is telling me that I need to pick up my phone. So like I did and then next thing I know is that my coffee is like massacring my pretty carpet!"

On the receiving end, Ivan's eye was twitching at the astounding absurdity spouting from the phone.

"I do not care," Ivan stated.

"Well, whatever. You're still gonna compensate me and stuff. So expect your next paycheck to be docked for like the cost for a replacement."

Feliks then waited for a reply, and as the silence on the other end dragged on, he got a bit nervous, finally wondering why Ivan had called. "So, like yeah, what did you call about."

"Ah, but certainly you would know by now, no?" Ivan asked, feeling an urge to torment the other guy.

When there was no answer from Feliks, Ivan pressed on. "I would expect such an important man, a man who runs a hospital, to know why a doctor would be calling…unless of course he was…what is the word…'incompetent?'"

"Arg!" Feliks fumed on the other end. "Fine, I won't dock your pay. Now, what is it that you want already!"

Ivan smiled.

"I am just calling in to say that I will be late. That is all. Goodbye."

And with that Feliks was left on the line listening to the dial tone, feeling mistreated and yet oddly relieved.

Back in the house, Ivan had finished preparing breakfast.

"Yao, are you done with your bath?" Ivan hollered from the bottom of the stairs.

"Almost, give me another 5 minutes aru!"

"Okay, then," Ivan replied, "just make sure to get me when you need assistance."

Ivan chuckled to himself when, he heard the small "hmph" that came from the bathroom. By then, Ivan was already upstairs, headed towards the bedroom. Entering the room, he was a bit taken aback. The smell of incense was still in the air but less prevalent than the smell of musk. Sex in the air, indeed, and his body gave a ready response to the familiar smell, remembering the earlier exercise it had done in bed. Ignoring his need. Ivan quickly gathered the damp sheets, ripped of the pillow covers and bedcovers from the bed, along with scooping up the dress he had presented Yao, all of which were covered with their seed. After opening a window to let in some fresh air, Ivan left the arm full of fabrics he had gathered.

Downstairs, Ivan started the washing machine, and then returned back to the bedroom with a clean set of sheets and pillowcases: the ones with the Hello Kitty design, it would no doubt be warmly welcomed by Yao.

Returning to the kitchen, Ivan made his second call: Filmari.

* * *

**Wish I could've combined this chapter with the next but...urg...self imposed deadline = pride to make deadline... Anyways, what I was saying earlier is that some scenes I find really hard to write because I have no personal experience with this stuff. Heck, I cuss so infrequently that when I do to some it's a monumental event...something that can cause bouts of silence...end of the world as we know it sign. Also, never dated anyone or got even remotely close to doing so because of personal expectations and such. Therefore = noob.**

**There ya have it! PS. writing Feliks's dialogue is SUPER FUN!**

**Goodnight, ppl :D**


	15. Morning Calls Continued

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XV: Morning Calls Continued **

**FallingBreathless**

* * *

_Ugh. Can't believe summer is already almost over. Anyways, here's an update. I am trying to write...BUT THERE IS JUST SOOOO MUCH I HAVE TO DO. I'm recently working on getting a driver's license, school's gonna start up again, and I need to finish my summer stuff. _

_Anyways, on another note, please read my short story FIREWORKS. It's Nichu. :P (Yep, it's called self-promotion)_

* * *

Since early in the morning, Filmari had been facing one crisis after another. Some of it expansive, being company-wide, while most were more of a personal scope. The trouble started the moment it was discovered that the company spokesperson/director had not arrived upon his perpetually before 7:30AM time.

At first, everyone hadn't worried. Surely, either Mr. Wang was running late or sick or more unthinkably, he was taking a more-than-well-deserved break from work, relax in the Bahamas maybe, or a short trip to the Mediterranean region of Europe. There was no one at the company who didn't know of the man's incredible dedication to work. Those who simply heard of Yao's work hours, just shook their heads and dismissed it as serious company commitment, a serious ambition to make Filmari the biggest and the best commercial film company. However, those who personally knew Yao, knew that it was simply a quite admirable as well as worrying case of workaholism.

By eight o'clock, the company was still running as normal, although, the initial tide of uneasiness was spreading. Arthur Kirkland was the man responsible for keeping things going. Yelling, at one person after another. After all, it was part of his job to do so. However, no amount of yelling seemed to make up for the absence of Yao. Calls had come in from different department managers asking questions, people were slacking off, and Arthur's cousin, and LIBERTY company's spokesperson, Alfred Jones, was already there, rapidly speeding down on the road to a state of boredom. Arthur was getting overwhelmed.

"Damnit! Didn't I say no PDA you gits?" Arthur huffed to the usual offender: Francis, who blew him a kiss as a response. "Shit, I don't have time for this."

"What's got your panties all in a bunch?" Asked the American, who downed a cup of the company's crap coffee without a thought.

"If you hadn't noticed, Yao's not here." Arthur growled. "Anyways, just stay out of trouble until I can get a hold of him…"

After saying so, Arthur started down the hall. He was going to talk with Kiku using the opportunity, but he would first contact Yao. As the doors of the elevator closed, Alfred caught a glimpse of the Brit's fingers dancing across a cell phone. Then suddenly reminded of the object in his own pocket, Alfred smiled contentedly as he stood to refill his cup again: he still had Yao's phone.

XXX

Upstairs, Kiku was fidgeting with his paperwork. Giving up, he settled for tapping his fingers on his desk. T-t-t-thud, t-t-t-thud, t-t-t-thud! This was not like him at all. No, he'd breathe and calm down. There was no way Yao would purposefully miss work. Yao surely wouldn't be trying to break his deal, not when he still held the pictures. Glancing guiltily into his briefcase, Kiku sighed. He still had the pictures. But where was Yao?

Looking at the time again, Kiku felt the bite of worry, a small concern for the other's well-being. Inwardly, he chided himself. Really, how old was he now? What were the chances? He could better use his time to prepare for the slight possibility that Yao was indeed thinking of breaking their agreement. Pushing himself away from his desk, he stood and quickly pulled the shades on the glass wall facing the hallway.

Overall, Filmari supported a simple, aesthetic style. This meant that most rooms, like Kiku's office, had walls of glass. Some were opaque, etched, while the wall with the door was inevitably transparent. Wooden, Beachwood shades were installed for privacy purposes. And rooms that were lucky enough to have a view of the city had a large glass as a window set at a 45 or 90 degree angle with the ground. The building itself was a strange crystalline pentagon. The desks were also of glass in combination with steel for support, and each room was accented by potted plants, meant for "vitality" or something. Flooring varied from department to department. Kiku's was a light-colored wood.

A metal snick was heard as Kiku shut the door behind him. The hallway of his department was pretty much deserted, and as he noticed the gradient scale of the wood, darkening as he got farther and farther from his room, a chorus of voices informed him where everyone else had gone: It was Chelsea's, first right then third left's, birthday. He'd forgotten. Doubtless he would have to get her a belated birthday card tomorrow.

Of course the director's office, like the production and filming rooms along with the meeting rooms, would be exempt from the building's theme, Kiku thought as his looked through the glass into the unoccupied room. First thing that hit him was the large desk was of wood, dark and polished. Then it was the fact that there were bookshelves, bamboo, walls of plaster and bamboo siding, and that there was a large oriental rug on the ground. It was completely like Yao. He wouldn't even be surprised if there was incense burning in a corner, but then that would be a fire hazard.

As he continued to peer into the room, Kiku's eyes spotted a silver key nestled near the computer. That was completely not Yao. Something must have happened for Yao to leave the key to his desk lying out there in the open. But, Kiku guessed that he should have been grateful; it would make what he was about to do a lot easier.

Reaching for the steel handle of the door, Kiku was met with resistance. Not unexpected, the door was self-locking. A bit perplexed, Kiku glanced up and down the hall for any spectators: none. He'd seen enough movies to have two ideas. Dropping down into a kneeling position, he searched through his pockets. Pulling out his wallet, he dismissed using his driver's license and opted for an outdated gift card. Sliding it out of the black leather, he inserted it into the slit. He slid it down, nothing happened. Frowning, he ditched the idea. His next option was to actually pick the lock. Although he was not sure how exactly to do so, he attempted the feat with a paperclip.

"Kiku? What are you doing?"

The question came a split second after the ding of the elevator warned Kiku that people were coming. Too late.

Promptly, standing up, Kiku saw the disbelieving expression on Arthur Kirkland's face. At least it wasn't a death sentence.

"I was merely finding out for myself if the rumors were truth. Is there something wrong with that?" He asked, tossing the other a small smile.

"Uh, no. I guess now you believe that Yao really isn't here…but what exactly were you doing kneeling in front of the door...?" Arthur replied in daze.

For a minute he had thought Kiku was trying to break into the director's room, but that seemed absurd. He laughed awkwardly. "For a second there it looked like you were attempting to break in, silly I know."

Kiku stiffened automatically.

"Now, why would I? Please do not joke with me Arthur-san."

The last of Arthur's laughter died in his throat. Kiku seemed a bit-

Just then the flittering sound of a phone cut off Arthur's thought process. As if in a comedy, they both turned to the source of the sound and they shared a look of puzzlement. Yao's office phone was going off. "The doors are locked," Kiku stated helpfully, as the phone continued a second and a third time.

"I can see that," said the other, releasing his grip on the door handle. It really was locked.

The phone cried one more time before it relapsed into silence. Turning his attention away from the now quiet machine, Arthur glanced bashfully at his companion.

"You don't suppose, that could've been Yao, do you? I mean I tried to call his cell phone a minute ago…"

Kiku just shook his head.

"It probably was Yao," Kiku replied. "He always had the worst timing. If it's him, he'll probably call the front desk next."

XXX

Before the first ring could end, Arthur already picked up.

"Hello? This is Arthur Kirkland of Filmari speaking. Yao?"

"No."

"Oh," Arthur exhaled, feeling stupid. "Sorry about that then, I am really sorry. I will direct you to the proper front desk speaker then, a moment please."

"I am calling for Yao."

That stopped Arthur immediately. Snatching back the phone from the started part-timer, Arthur quickly demanded more information.

"May I ask who I am speaking to? Is Yao okay? Where is he at?"

There was a strange electronic chuckling on the other end, and that's when the Russian accent hit Arthur. It was the boyfriend calling. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "Ivan, what about Yao?"

"Oh nothing that concerns you, da?"

"Damn it. I don't have time for this," Arthur replied impatiently. "Just tell me what's happened with Yao. The entire company is in hysterics."

"I killed him."

"…" Arthur's blood froze he couldn't feel his fingers anymore. "What?"

"Just kidding~" Came the merry reply. "I wouldn't do that. He told me to call in sick for him. That is all. Da. Have a good day."

And with that Arthur found himself listening to the dial tone.

* * *

**Okay, totally not going with the mood but LADY GAGA TIME!**

**Stop telephonin'' meh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh~ **

**And so on...**


	16. Searching for Yao Part 1 of 2

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XVI: Searching for Yao...and Peach-Pecan Pie? (Part 1 of 2)**

**~FallingBreathless~  
**

* * *

_Hey, this is FallingBreathless, and it has been FOREVER and a decade. I'm really sorry about that, but I'm at that point in life where life is just managing from day to day running on about five hours or less than sleep. It's been particularly bad because of the classes that I'm in and right now my finals and AP exams are coming up and I'm completely freaking out. _

_Besides that I'm trying to finish 4 projects...ugh. Then, there's an anime event coming up soon in my area and I'm trying to finish up my cosplay. I might have chose an outfit that was a bit more than I can chew -laughs. Also, extra info: my wig might not come in time (gasp!)_

_Lolz. Junior yea sucks. Senior year will be worse...AP Central is going to really kill me... BUT once I'm done with most of senior year and am waiting for college and the first year of college I will update like mad. I've decided that I'm going to definitely (after finishing this fanfiction) turn this into an actual novel...might have to change the characters and some of the events that go on but the plot will be off of this. Publishing a novel is on my bucket list!  
_

_Anyways, enjoy this and please keep on supporting me and writing reviews. Reviews are what push me to write and update!  
_

* * *

Back at the Braginski house, Ivan had finished breakfast. Smiling to himself, he set took out two matching, ceramic cups and set them upon the table. Then, thinking better of the set up, Ivan scooted the two chairs closer. He stepped back and surveyed the view; it pleased him quite a bit. Upstairs he heard a thud and then a bad word; his smile turned into an outright grin.

Ivan knocked twice before opening the door. He found the other glumly sitting in the tub. Yao had attempted to get out of the bath to put on his change of clothes himself in order to avoid having Ivan do it for him. And he had almost made it out, almost. It wasn't hard to guess what had happened.

"Since you're here then, give me a hand," the other demanded, sitting up with a scowl. But under the fierce demeanor, Ivan could still see the other's embarrassment.

Without a comment, Ivan stepped closer to the bathtub and gently scooped the other out of the emptied tub. Against his chest, Yao shivered, and Ivan quickly wrapped him up with the towel.

"Better?" He asked kindly.

"Definitely aru."

Ivan set Yao on the toilet lid where the other hastily pulled on a green, cashmere sweater and then a pair of old jeans. Afterwards, Yao looked up. He found Ivan studying him. "What is it?" he asked.

"It is nothing important," Ivan replied, lifting his gaze to Yao's eyes. "I just thought that you should wear jeans more often."

Yao cast the other a weary look.

"Maybe," he said vaguely before changing the subject. "Anyways, did you call work already?"

"Da. That I did," Ivan confirmed. "Kirkland had answered and he said that the company was doing fine and that you should just take it easy and recover."

It was a stretch, but a necessary one to allay Yao's workaholic fears. It seemed to have a better effect than Ivan had anticipated because the other visibly relaxed.

"Really," Yao breathed. "I think I'll have to thank him when I return to work tomorrow aru."

"What for, it is his job after all, no?" Ivan provided. "So, there is no real reason to do so."

Yao shook his head ruefully.

"No, never mind aru. I'll still just make sure to drop a word or two."

For a second, Ivan looked as if he were about to reply, but then within a fleeting moment his expression was closed, and when he did open his mouth to speak again, it was to change the topic.

"I made breakfast, Yao," Ivan announced with not a small hint of pride. "I hope you are hungry."

To this Yao smiled.

"Starving," he reply, and at that moment a well-timed growl came from the Chinese man's stomach, as to confirm the assertion.

"Good. I made a lot."

Bending down, Ivan scooped Yao up and the two proceeded down stairs to the kitchen.

After a pleasant and otherwise mundane breakfast, Yao stretched and yawned, covering his mouth, as Ivan stood to place the plates in the sink. When Ivan turned back around he was greeted with a questioning look from the other.

"What is it, Yao?"

Yao stalled by biting his lip, trying to figure out how best to phrase his question.

"Now, that I am, uh, staying home…what, what should I do aru?"

The Russian man gave him a heart-warming smile.

"Whatever it is you want," he replied. Then, pausing, he added. "That doesn't require you to get out of bed."

Of course, that response only made Yao more flustered to find some means to occupy himself for the rest of the day. As it turned out, since neither of the two were big television watchers, they would of course occasionally watch the news and a movie, there wasn't a black screen in the bedroom. However, even if there had been a TV available, Yao wouldn't have bothered watching. The only things on during the day, during which the good, majority of productive people were at work, were reruns of old soaps and trashy "real life" dramas. From what Yao had once seen of soaps and dramas from the occasional visit to Yong Soo's, they gave him a headache. More than that, actually it was like he could feel his own IQ dropping along.

Ivan, had never seen a TV drama or soap before, but it wasn't hard to assume that he wouldn't have liked them either. Ivan had never been one for loud people yelling at each other, or crying, mascara streaked girls, etc.; from what Yao knew from the years, Ivan's life was interesting enough without the need for stimulus from technology.

Thus, Yao ended up finding himself back in, now a fresh, immaculate, bed with a few classics that he'd wanted to read and a small pile of letters that he had gotten from friends and relatives and hadn't replied to yet. "Now are you sure you'll be fine?" Ivan asked at the door.

He looked back at the reclining figure, small in relation to the large bed.

"I'll be fine," Yao reassured.

He'd already cracked open Ivan's thick volume of _War and Peace_ and had gotten so far as the second page before Ivan asked yet another question.

"Are you sure you won't need anything? Water? Food? …More books?" Ivan asked, at the same time realizing how overboard he was going. More books…_really?_

Yao chuckled.

"Really, Ivan. I'll be fine aru. You've already brought me water and food, and I have more than enough books to last me an entire week."

Seeing the other's hesitation, Yao gave the other a soothing smile. "Really, Ivan. I will be fine," he reiterated. "I'll be at home, staying in bed. Nothing's going to happen aru."

"Da," the other replied, finally agreeing, if only unwillingly. "Now, one more thing, Yao. Don't forget you should call me at work if something does come up."

"Of course," Yao replied, and finally, Ivan left for work, leaving Yao to his books.

**~ ~ ~ xXx ~ ~ ~**

"Was that Yao?" Kiku asked, visibly anxious.

"Yes, I mean, no," Arthur corrected. "It was that Ivan who called. According to him, Yao's sick."

The sentence hung in the air as both men seemed to fall into a somber mood, each for different reasons.

"Do you believe him?"

Arthur was startled by the question, and for one of those rare moments, he managed to meet Kiku's brown-almost-black eyes without flushing.

"It's possible," He replied, hesitant.

He was feeling uneasy, both because of the suggestion implied by the other's sentence and by the thought that was bubbling up to the forefront of his mind: a doubt.

"Yes, it is," Kiku affirmed, but he continued to press on. "But, Arthur-san, do _you_ believe that what Ivan says is true?"

"What are you implying?" Arthur demanded, a touch frantic.

"I'm suggesting that perhaps…he, Yao I mean, has another reason, reasons, for his absence. One that may not be illness."

There was a hesitance before Arthur finally spoke, as if he had to search for proper words.

"You mean to say that Ivan was lying?"

"What about that bastard?"

The voice boomed like an explosion, tinted with an odd echoing quality about it, and Arthur and Kiku turned to see the LIBERTY Co.'s representative walking across the room towards them. Alfred had been reclining and drinking coffee in the lounge. There was no doubt that he had overheard their conversation. "So, what about that bastard?" He demanded again.

Arthur just shook his head, the whole situation was absurd.

"You stay out of this, you git." He replied curtly. "I'll have you know that this has nothing to do with you so Kiku and I will handle it. You just keep yourself out of troub-"

The American let out another colorful expression, successfully interrupting his cousin.

"This has something to do with Yao, doesn't it?" He demanded.

When neither of the two immediately rejected his conclusion, he took it as what it was, a silent affirmation. "That motherfucker." He seethed. "If he's done anything, _anything_, to Yao, I swear that I will kill him myself!"

The other two men were startled by the passionate outbreak. It was beyond reasonable. It was completely irrational in their eyes.

"Alfred-san, do you happen to know something that Arthur and I do not?" Kiku asked, keeping a degree of level-headedness.

Kiku had originally just wanted a reason to go check up on Yao to make sure that he wasn't trying to back out of their deal, but now, even he was getting a little unsettled. It never was like Yao run from a situation, even blackmailed. He'd always faced it head on. Perhaps something was indeed going on. This time Alfred was the one to shake his head. He seemed about ready to talk but then pressed his mouth into a hard line.

"Never mind that. We don't have time for that. We need to find him, _now_."

Without another second's waste, or a glance back to see if the other two were planning to follow, Alfred started a mad dash out the front office doors, going straight for the parking lot. There was a brief moment when Kiku and Arthur stared at the retreating figure, and they then shared a moment of understanding. A few seconds later, they were both sprinting to catch up with the brown leather-clad backside of Alfred F. Jones.

**xXx ~ ~ ~**

Alfred had driven his red, Ford pickup that day, instead of his usual Mercedes. The truck only really seated two, but at that point none of them really cared. Arthur had ended up riding shotgun, and Alfred was driving, leaving Kiku awkwardly jammed in between the two blonds. The small space in the vehicle was dead silent as they drove. Before long, they pulled off the highway, and pushed the speed limits of a seemingly endless suburbia. House after house passed by like uniform blurs, and soon, Alfred slowed to a stop and pulled into the driveway of a red-bricked house nestled at the end of a cul-de-sac in the form of a circle court.

For a moment, they sat in the car as if altogether uncertain of their next move –as if they'd forgotten their original intent. The house brought back so many memories that for a moment Kiku was almost overwhelmed. Nothing had changed: lilacs bloomed against the dark mulch surrounding the perimeter of the house, edged by a small wall of decorative slabs of rock; he didn't even need to see to know that the peach tree they had planted near the bamboo grove, beside the large pond in Yao's backyard a few years ago would still be there. It was as if no time had passed at all.

Unbeknownst to Kiku, however, the same scenery was giving Alfred a less than warm and fuzzy recollection. Alfred was once again feeling the adrenaline he'd felt that night, the pure, undiluted fear that had gripped him as he tore across the lawn, afraid of what he'd find; his premonition hadn't been wrong. Even now, the image of Yao's bloodied and beaten body, lithe, held down by a much larger Ivan. Clothes and furniture had been displaced as if by a hurricane, and broken porcelain vases lay like a field of razors upon the ground; this entirety he'd barely seen at the time, but now, the details had become crystalline clear. The door upstairs stood ajar, hanging open from a single hinge. Alfred had found Yao and Ivan. His intrusion gave pause to the two figures on the bed: Ivan had been in the process of raping the other for god-only-knows how long. Alfred's breath caught in his throat as his and Yao's eyes met across the room…and the look on Yao's face…even now when he closed his eyes he could see like some afterimage seared vividly upon his retinas.

"So, what are we dilly-dallying around here for?" Arthur asked.

To him this was just another residential abode, albeit one that he'd frequented for more than just one cup of tea on Sunday afternoons. He'd always admired Yao's adeptness with gardening. He'd never get his own yard to look so pristine. Alfred nodded.

"Let's go."

Alfred got out of his truck, slammed the door shut, and started for the front door. On the front porch he was soon joined by Kiku and Arthur. Alfred rang the doorbell. A gentle breeze drew the melodious tinkling of the chimes overhead as the three men waited. When no one answered the door, it was Arthur who reached this time for the bell. They waited. Eventually Alfred let out a long, low whistle and casually strolled over to the front window and then proceeded to plaster his face against the glass.

"Do you see anything?" Kiku inquired.

"Nothing that we care about," Alfred replied.

Beside them, Arthur scowled. "Anyways Yao's not here; so, let's be off. We need to search another area, and also, I don't want us to be mistaken as burglars with you pressed against the glass like a suckerfish."

A half-hearted retort from Alfred was all Arthur got for his jibe. They turned from the house and started back for the American's truck, and Arthur was glad for that. He hadn't mentioned to the others that he'd also had a growing suspicion that they were being watched, and he wasn't the only one. Kiku also had felt the weight of eyes upon them.

**~ ~ ~ xXx ~ ~ ~**

Meanwhile, in the neighboring house, housewife Elizaveta was intently peering through her window shades at the three young men assembled upon the front porch of her neighbor's house. Elizaveta was rather young herself, and she would have been a rather homely looking brunette if it hadn't been for her eyes and propensity to wear green dresses. She only recently had developed the habit of spying on her neighbors since she'd hit the limit time of being absorbed in the life of newlywed. She'd only recently gotten married to her long-time friend Roderich, who ran a sizable music company. Really, she was a girl who loved baking, singing, and all things that smelled like a scandal…and maybe she did have a stash of boyslove magazines tucked away in her closet. Well, there could be worse things to have under the bed.

Anyways, Elizaveta knew for certain that her Yao wasn't home. She had been over to his house to share with him one of the apple pies she'd baked when he'd asked her if she'd take care of his house when he moved in with his Russian boyfriend. Okay, well, he hadn't actually mentioned the second half about moving in with the Russian hottie, but Elizaveta had a woman's tuition and a gaydar that was 100% accurate. The first moment she'd seen her Chinese neighbor it'd gone off and it all but took her a few gulps of air to stop herself from sqealing "yaoi, yaoi!" in delight. Then, when she'd spotted the Russian doctor, Ivan, visiting…well, she made sure to dig out Roderich's bird-watching binoculars from the attic.

Unfortunately however, after going through Yao's stuff in his absence had produced nothing of interest, and since Yao and Ivan were rarely ever here, Elizaveta wasn't getting any new updates. Yet, opportunity had come knocking in the form of three men, and she wasn't going to let it go to waste. She smelled some love triangles. Dashing down the stairs and into the kitchen, she grabbed the peach-pecan pie she'd baked yesterday and dashed out of the house. Roderich could text her later. (He was such a worrywart.)

"Hey, are you guys, by any chance, looking for Yao?" She puffed when she'd reached the taller of the two blonde's truck.

Bewildered at the strange woman in front of them carrying a pie, the men exchanged uneasy glances. Before Arthur was about to ask her who she was, Elizaveta had already began introducing herself. "Oh, by the way, I'm Elizaveta. I live right next door. Yao asked me a while ago to look after his house for him. Would you three care to have some peach-pecan pie with me? Perhaps, I could help you."

Staring at the grinning Elizaveta, quite unabashedly, Arthur, felt trapped. There were definite predator vibes coming off in waves from her, but really, it was bad manners to flatly decline such an invitation. Lucky for them, Alfred didn't really care about social obligations.

"Sorry, but we'll have to decline. We're in a hurry. Can you just tell us where we could find Yao?" Alfred asked, after a glance at the pie in Elizaveta's hands. It looked really good.

Elizaveta frowned. They weren't taking the bait.

"Yes, of course. But, I'm not sure if he'd like it if I told," she teased, mentally adding, "since he never told me in the first place" to the end.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Elizaveta-san, but we really must insist," Kiku said. "Yao has gone missing from work, you see. And there was a rather…_strange_ phone call received at Filmari."

Arthur nodded enthusiastically.

"Right, right. We're worried about his health."

Elizaveta's brows crinkled at this with legitimate concern and she seemed to study the three very intently as if to commit them to memory. Then coming to a conclusion, she handed the pie into the surprised hands of Arthur before telling them the whereabouts of Yao's new residence.

After she'd watched the truck round the corner and out of sight, Elizaveta stopped waving, and started more seriously back into her house. The minute she was back in her room she flipped open her laptop, and started blogging out her thoughts:

Three men just came in search for Yao. Gaydar went off like otaku at an anime convention.

Ooh, btw the Sakura Festival is in a few weeks. Can't wait.

Anywhoos, two blondes and an Asian man. The taller blonde was younger feeling and fresher, to the point. Ooh, that would be such a great pairing with Yao…could this be a love triangle. KYA! But, there's also some relationship btwn him and the other blonde, who has got to British. The accent was so cute. Definite uke in relationship, or maybe they're related. Could be then it'd be incest O,O. And then the Asian guy, slim, serious. He's probably Yao's relative, Kiku Honda. Wonder why nothing ever happened between him and Yao…there was so much sexual tension there. God, if I could bottle that up, I'd be rich! His body is totally uke material, but probably better check just in case. Seme vibes from him.

Then, if Yao's really over at Ivan's. UHWAH! I totally should have gone over there. I bet I'm missing out on all the action. I mean with Yao and then Ivan's body it would have been super hot and heavy. I wonder how many times they made love, I mean it could have been ALL THE TIME and ALL OVER THE HOUSE. –nosebleeds-

* * *

Finally, Elizaveta paused the read through her thoughts again. Before she clicked publish she added two more lines to the end:

* * *

There is now way I'm going to miss the developments. Whatever happens

I've got to be there. I think apha blonde is going for the challenge.

Love,

FindingSex&Scandal

Afterwards, Elizaveta went straight for her phone. She'd need to find out everything about everyone and make sure she'd be there at the scene. This was the most exciting thing that had ever (not) happened to her, even better than her wedding with Roderich, and this task would require her to pull as many strings as she could grab.

In the next hour, Elizaveta hit everyone on her contacts list that could help, with or without their actual knowledge of the end goal: Yao, Filmari, Feliks, Heracles, Mei, Feliciano, Im Yong Yong, Roderich, and finally, her biggest ally/follower….Katyusha, Ivan's own sister!

* * *

**Thanks again for reading and believing in me even when I didn't. whoot whoot. It's another update. I have no idea when I'll be updating again but my guess is the end of this month (after finals) and during the summer. **

******** Review! Review - Motivation for me to write :)  
**

**Also, I've been thinking. I'd like to start accepting suggestions or requests for short stories after this story is done. Just message me. Name the characters and give me a general theme or pairing or even a plot if you really feel like it. They can be nonrelated to this story or extras that would be from this story. I'd like to start recieving some now so I'll have plenty for the summer :D  
**


	17. Searching for Yao: The Finding 2 of 2

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter XVII: Searching for Yao: The Finding (2 of 2)  
**

**~FallingBreathless~  
**

* * *

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…_fuck_!"

Arthur and Kiku watched in amazement as Alfred began taking each word out on his steering wheel in agitation. "Why won't this goddamned light turn green already?" He demanded. They were waiting at a busy intersection, and Kiku watched disinterestedly out the windshield at an old couple exiting the corner Walgreen's.

However, just as the words left Alfred's lips, the light did in fact turn green. Any other time, Arthur might have snickered, but at this point even he couldn't find humor in his cousin's distress. As much as he cussed himself, Arthur's ears were starting to itch from the sound of crude language.

"Just shut up and drive you git."

"I know that," Alfred snapped. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"Being a loud, foul-mouthed, bloody maniac," the Brit muttered back.

The other didn't reply because either he didn't hear or he just chose to ignore it.

"I just can't believe that I didn't just go with my gut. Instead I had to have a crazy, pie-carrying woman tell me what I already knew. Aw…damn it!" He interjected as he honked at a blue SUV that just cut him off. "Anyways, I should gone directly to that son of a bitch's house from the start. God, it's just going to be like last time."

To this, Arthur and Kiku just remained quiet as they tried to ignore the American as he wiped away at his moist eyes. "Just like bloody, fucking last time."

"Where are we going?" Kiku finally asked.

His curiosity about Alfred's "last time" could wait. Alfred frowned, a furrow forming in between his two brows as his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"We're going to Ivan's house."

When Arthur heard this, he let out a quick burst of air; Kiku simply remained silent and processed this new information. He hadn't known that Yao had started living with the Russian. Perhaps, he'd had known subconsciously, but it had never registered. A small pain in his chest seemed to start up as he wondered if Yao would have still been living in his home if he hadn't left. When Kiku had been living at Yao's, or even when he'd moved out and still visited, he would have argued for Yao to stay away from Ivan. But, then again, he was making himself sound much too important. There was no way he could've made a difference…there was no way he could have known. And after all it was Yao's choice, wasn't it?

"Well that's just great. Our trip together just gets better and better, don't they?" Arthur grumbled, hiding his unreasonable discomfort at the idea of encountering Mr. Braginski. "Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that we're headed to the depths of bloody Hell!"

"That's just about where we're going to be in a few minutes," Alfred replied gravely. "Because if I know anything about that bastard, it's that he does not like unexpected guests."

**xXx**

Kiku remembered. He had never liked Ivan from the moment he'd laid eyes on the man. He'd supposedly met Ivan for the first time at college, when Yao had gotten caught up in another of Alfred's stupid arguments, but he'd actually known Ivan longer than that. Kiku had been the first year of high school when he'd met Ivan on the first day of school. They had freshman biology class together; Ivan had been unsettling even then. The boy had a shock of blonde hair that it was almost white and appeared silver at times and he was tall for his age, plus he had distinct nose. He'd seemed friendly enough at first, a smile constantly on his face. Kiku had ended up being assigned as seat next to Ivan. That was when he noticed the vibes Ivan gave off: dark, cold, insane things that made Kiku shiver, but he was polite enough to simply just pretend that he hadn't felt anything. He just made sure to keep a proper distance.

After the frog dissection lab, watching Ivan actually enjoy killing the poor amphibian, Kiku actively began avoiding his lab partner. Ivan hadn't simply knocked the frog out with chemicals before slicing open the frog like they were instructed. No. Instead he'd decided to immobilize the frog by severing the creature's tendons and then flaying the skin off, keeping the frog alive and very much aware the entire time… Now, Ivan was a surgeon at a reputable hospital in the area…

Then, there was the time when they had to work on a project together for the class and Ivan had gone to Kiku's house. The home in which he had lived in with Yao, Im Yong Soo, Mei, and Xiang. Of course they all lived independent of each other now, but back then they were as tight as any real family. It had been his folly to bring Ivan there. The other's hadn't been home for most of the time, and nothing really happened. It was about a few minutes before Ivan was going to leave and they'd been cleaning up the mess they'd made, when Yao had gotten home. Yao was a junior at the time, and he'd come home with groceries. Kiku had gone down to help out and Ivan simply had followed. That's when Ivan and Yao had met.

The meeting had been brief, very brief. Yao had glanced up and gave a cursory glance at their houseguest, smiled before continuing with his work. Kiku had remembered then that he was supposed to be seeing his classmate to the door, and he turned around. To hist shock he saw Ivan staring at the empty space where Yao had been. Even the blind could have known that the boy was smitten, smitten senselessly into love. Kiku had just simply ignored it and ushered Ivan out of the house. It really hadn't been anything extraordinary. That actually happened quite a lot when people met Yao for the first time. He hadn't thought much about it.

Yet, Ivan had become obsessed. The boy began seeking out Kiku at ask questions about his "sister." Questions that Kiku didn't know the answers to and some that he didn't want to answer. Ivan even began trying to find excuses to go over to Kiku's house. When Kiku kept refusing, Ivan became more intimidating, but Kiku was adamant about keeping him away. He'd gotten into a fight finally. His first fight. Ivan was big, and Kiku had just started to hit puberty. Yet, he'd won, surprising the world. The weeks that followed, he knew that retaliation would come. Ivan's mood grew worse and worse and the aura around him became stifling. But a turn of events had seemed to completely solve the problem.

Ivan moved back to Russia. His stepfather had reappeared to claim him and his two sisters. Kiku'd never actually met any of the other Braginski siblings, but he believed that to be a good thing. That was the last he'd seen and believed he'd see of Ivan. When Ivan returned and entered in the same college, Kiku had been too stupefied to say anything, and it never even registered for Yao that they'd ever met Ivan…

**xXx**

The house they pulled up to was larger than Yao's house, and a lot less inviting. Perhaps it was because at the moment a cloud had blocked the sun, but maybe it just because of the sterile face of the house. It seemed to loom over them with brick teeth, ready to bite, rip and consume. Alfred got out of the car and killed the engine. Silently, the other two slid out of the other door. The yard was neat, very neat. There weren't any flowers lining the path up to the front door, only tall, bushes that went to a man's chest, bordering them in as they entered. Around the corner of the house Kiku thought he spotted a small grove of birch trees and even a garden of sunflowers. It had only been a fleeting glance caught between the gaps of the bushes, but the yellow seemed shocking against the lack of color. The grass even appeared dull in color, as if a thin layer of dust had settled upon it.

Alfred licked his lips nervously when they got to the door.

"Perhaps we had better give Yao a call first," Arthur suggested, meanwhile trying to warm up his hands. Without the sun, the temperature had dropped five degrees. "Here. I'll call."

Alfred just nodded absently. He thought it was a pretty good idea…until his pocket started vibrating. Alfred and Kiku watched in disbelief as Alfred just looked at them sheepishly and fished out a cell phone by a pink Hello Kitty strap. Kiku paled a bit with recognition at the accessory; he couldn't believe Yao had held onto the trinket slightly less than he couldn't believe Alfred had Yao's cell. With the phone being out of Alfred's pocket, the ringtone became recognizable as the opening theme to the Harry Potter movies, that had been so popular.

Arthur shut his phone, and grabbed at Yao's cell phone. "I don't believe it," he huffed. "Yao set _that_ as my ringtone?"

"I suppose that he did," Kiku supplied, wondering at the same time as Alfred what Yao had assigned theirs to be.

"Never mind. Anyways, let's try the home phone next," Alfred said.

Arthur scowled, but proceeded to call Yao's home phone next. His cousin did have some good ideas occasionally. Arthur would never admit to this of course, but he suspected that his cousin would have been a lot smarter if he didn't try so bloody hard trying to act like an idiot, burgers and soda during meetings. It wasn't as if it were hereditary.

**XXX**

_War and Peace_ had turned out to be a better read than Yao had anticipated. He was just about to start another chapter when he heard the phone ringing from the kitchen. Uncertain as to what he was supposed to do, Yao simply stayed in bed. After the second ring he became worried. What if it was Ivan trying to call him? But then, Ivan would have known that he wasn't allowed to get out of bed; Ivan would have called his cell phone. Wait. Alfred.

It was one of those moments where Yao wanted to find the guy and shake him. He still had Yao's cell. There was nothing for Yao to do except wait for the answering machine to do its job and see who had called. After about the fourth ring, Yao strained to hear what who had called, but was sadly disappointed when the caller simply hung up.

**XXX**

"Blimey, no one's picking up in there," Arthur frowned as he hit the redial button. "Well, better try again just to be safe."

Alfred crossed his arms and leaned against a wall as they waited. If it were just him, he would probably have taken down the door by now and made his way in. Paying for property damage was the least of his worries.

**XXX**

In the house, Yao heard the phone begin ringing again. He grew antsy and finally resolved to go and get the phone. Ivan and his stay in bed rule would have to be set aside for the sake of pragmatism. Plus, he really just wanted to get out of bed (one of his legs was starting to fall asleep).

Quickly, he moved to the edge of the bed. Sitting on the edge now, he planted his feet down into fluffy slippers half-way hidden from sight under the bed and tentatively shifted his weight. With weight on his spine, he winced. It wasn't as bad as it had been earlier, but Yao was still quite sore. It felt as if he'd run several miles. Straightening out he began moving towards the kitchen, one hand propped against the wall for support. Then he got to the stairs. Yao gulped. The stairs had never looked more threatening to him then they did at the moment; stairs had never been threatening. Now, Yao noticed there were ten steps, straight down, uncarpeted. A fall would hurt, a lot. He grabbed at the handrail for dear life as he began to descend step by step.

Before Yao had made it past the 3rd step down, the phone had already stopped ringing. Once again the answering machine picked up and for the second time the caller hung up.

"Great," Yao muttered to himself, pausing on the stairs. "Too slow… Now what aru?"

Three up or seven down? It almost seemed harder to climb back up, against gravity.

**xXx**

When the second call hadn't worked, Alfred had had enough. Brushing aside Kiku's pacifying suggestion that perhaps "the third time is the charm" to a dejected Arthur, Alfred pushed himself off the wall and simply just rang the doorbell.

That's when they heard a yelp, followed by crashes and thuds. Yao.

Without thinking, Alfred shoved Arthur aside and kicked down the door. In the next moment he was kneeling down next to Yao, lifting the other up from the ground, and cradling Yao's head against his chest.

From outside, Arthur and Kiku stood in their same spots as earlier, as if rooted there. Looking past the falling door, towards Yao and Alfred, through the doorframe and into a private world: a moment too sentimental to intrude upon. But then in another second the moment was shattered, like all fleeting delicate things too delicate to last, and they awkwardly treaded on the fallen door and entered Yao Wang's house.

* * *

**I know, I know! It's kind of a cliffhanger and I apologize for that. But it was either write more and update later or post what I had now.****:)**

**Plus, I'm getting booted off of the computer as I type. Bye guys, until the next update!**


	18. Substitutes and a Secret

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter 18: Substitutes and a Secret  
**

**~FallingBreathless~  
**

* * *

_Summer is officially here! I'm on summer break already. I wish I could say that it was all fun and games, but I've got to take the SAT and ACT tests right after break...so I have to study. It'll be the second time for the SAT and first for the ACT. I'm kind of worried since my mom set a high goal for me. But, I'll definitely try. Other than that, I've read some terrific books recently. Summer is for reading. I do enjoy the pool and the mall, and movies, but reading really is the best.  
_

_Recently I finished: Replication (GREAT), Fang (WHY?), ANGEL (THE PLOT THICKENS), Don't Breathe a Word (MADE ME CRY), and now I'm starting on The Gift (Whit and Wisty)...Right now I think that The Gift, reading level wise is too easy for me. Oh well. Read on guys  
_

_**Special thanks goes to blind-alchemist!! Thank you for all you're reviews! They mean a lot to me, and they provide great insight and get to think deeper and harder about my plot and character interactions. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU x 1,000!**  
_

_As always, please R&R guys :)  
_

* * *

"What are you doing here aru?"

Yao groaned, as he placed a hand on Alfred's chest, pushing the other slightly away in order to breathe. His head hurt and so did his elbow and various areas of his legs; he'd definitely find bruises there tomorrow.

"Saving you of course," Alfred teased. "You know, since I'm the hero of course."

To this, Yao simply lifted a skeptical brow. He'd somehow managed to fall down the stairs, so obviously the hero was running late, again. Being perpetually late was starting to become Alfred's trademark. "Are you hurt?"

"I-I don't think so, nothing serious at least," Yao replied. He had a stinging scrape on his elbow and a few bruises would appear later.

"What happened?" Arthur asked, as he and Kiku made their way over to Alfred and Yao. "We heard this scream that about shattered my eardrums, followed by what sounded like a demolition derby."

Yao flushed.

"Shut up, Arthur. Yao fell down the stairs." Alfred defended. "That's what you heard."

"Oh."

Arthur flushed at his own insensitivity, and Yao about died of embarrassment.

"A-anyways, what are you three doing here at my house?" Yao demanded a little too forceful than necessary.

"We were concerned about you, so we decided to see for ourselves your condition," Kiku explained. "We had tried to reach you on your cell phone, but, uh you didn't have it."

With accusing eyes, Yao turned towards Alfred, who sheepishly brought out Yao's cell phone, letting it dangle between them by a pink cell phone strap. With a swift movement, Yao snatched his cell and crammed it into the back pocket of his jeans. He cast Kiku a furtive glance that Kiku pretended not to notice. Kiku also pretended that he wasn't laughing inside at Yao's reaction –he'd already seen that Yao had kept the gift he'd given him.

"Anyways, Yao," Arthur cut in, trying to cough away his earlier faux pas, "we also came because we have a few, um, complications at the office…We need you there, Yao." he ended on a desperate note.

"I can't," Yao replied, turning away from Arthur. "Ivan said that I wasn't even supposed to get out of bed, let alone go to work."

"What do you mean 'Ivan said'?" Alfred demanded, instantly alerted. "When has Ivan been telling you what you could and could not do?"

Yao rubbed his forehead with a hint of frustration.

"Calm down, Alfred," Yao ordered, eyes flashing golden. "Look, this is what I meant by that aru. Help me up."

Perplexed, Alfred followed Yao's instructions and got up, extending a hand to pull Yao up off the ground. Curiously, Arthur and Kiku continued to observe the odd proceedings. Inhaling a slow breath, Yao began to get up, holding hard onto Alfred's hand. About halfway up, still in a bent "L" shape, the pain hit him. It was agony. His knees buckled and Yao flailed for a moment as his freehand sought to latch itself upon something. Alfred caught Yao midfall, and steadied the other with a supportive hold around Yao's waist. "Do you understand now?" Yao asked, boldly meeting their eyes. "Ivan was looking out for my well being. He knew that my body was in no condition to be moving around aru. And this was before I fell. He's a doctor for Pete's sakes! Don't go jumping to conclusions."

"Sorry," Arthur apologized. "But I still don't understand. What the bloody hell happened to you?" He demanded, his voice rising. "If it wasn't the tumble you just took, then what was it? What could possibly strain your back that badly?"

"Sex," Kiku mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Arthur demanded, turning around to face Kiku in disbelief. Alfred and Yao were also gaping at Kiku.

Now it was Kiku's turn to feel uncomfortable. The word has just slipped out, he'd gotten to that conclusion right from the beginning. But saying it out loud, revealing to the others that he also thought about those things was…difficult. There was no denying it though –they had all heard him. Breathing out, Kiku explained.

"I said 'sex,' Arthur." He affirmed to the wide-eyed Briton. "I imagine it was in fact Ivan's fault for Yao's discomfort. Strenuous night time activity can cause a person to become sore the next morning."

They all blushed after this, with Arthur being the reddest of them all.

"Bloody hell," he whispered.

This revelation blasted through his mind like a clarion call, and it seemed to open to him a hidden world, put the world in a different perspective. He'd never really thought about sex before. Well, yes, he had, but never the specifics or what happened afterwards. Babies yes. A family even…but…hell, with another man? He'd always imagined holding Kiku close, sharing each other's warmth as they exchanged confirmations of each other's affections. So, there was more…

"Arthur, you're nose is bleeding," Yao informed, cutting through Arthur's fog of delusion.

To this, Arthur turned even redder, and avoiding eye contact with Kiku, Arthur dug a packet of tissues from his pocket and began dabbing at his nose. Meanwhile, Alfred was just rolled his eyes at his cousin. Really, did Arthur live under a rock or what?

"Anyways, let's get you somewhere you can rest," Alfred said. "Where do you want to go. I'll help."

Yao thought for a moment, Ivan had ordered him to stay in bed, but he really couldn't make it up stairs by himself, and he wasn't about to invite the others into the bedroom.

"Alfred, could you then help me get to the couch aru?" Yao asked.

The other grinned.

"The pleasure's all mine."

Saying so, Alfred scooped Yao up in an easy motion. Carrying the other, princess style into the nearby living room and setting the other down on the plush couch. "Comfy?" Alfred asked with a smile.

"Thank you, and I'm fine aru," Yao replied.

"Anyways, now what?" Arthur demanded.

Standing awkwardly, the Brit quickly spotted a easy chair, which with Yao's nod of the head, he settled into. "We found, Yao. Now, what? He obviously can't go anywhere!"

"Well, what do you need to have done?" Alfred asked. "Maybe, someone else can do it?"

"No, we can't have that. Everyone at Filmari has their own jobs," Arthur dismissed. "There's no way anyone could do Yao's job. That's a full workload."

"That is true" Kiku affirmed. "Truthfully, probably two people would have to be delegated to accomplish the work, Yao does on a daily basis. Even I would have difficulty managing so much paper work," he conceded.

Yao was a bit happy with Kiku's indirect compliment, but was distracted by Alfred's suggestion.

"I could do it."

"Pardon?" Arthur asked, believing that he had misheard.

"I'm not doing anything at the moment," Alfred reminded. "I'm just serving as a representative right now. I don't have any official duties. I could be vacationing for all the people at LIBERTY could know. Assign me to the job."

Yao was stunned. Alfred was offering to shoulder his work. It was so unlike him, that it almost forced Yao to see the other in a new light. Arthur shook his head.

"No, we can't possibly. This is something that Filmari needs to handle by itself."

"Plus, it would be impossible even if you could manage the paperwork," Kiku cut in. "That's only half of it. The section chiefs need approval from the director for the continuation of projects. And we cannot just arbitrarily substitute you in for Yao, with all respect. They would simply not accept that. Also, many of the projects are sponsored by private individuals who seek their secrecy."

At this news, Alfred seemed crestfallen. He couldn't help even if he wanted to.

"Damn," He sighed. "Sorry, Yao. Looks like I can't help you with this."

"Not necessarily," Yao replied.

He'd been pondering on how to solve the problem, and he'd come to a conclusion. It was quite simple, actually. But, it did involve Alfred's involvement to pull it off.

"What we could do would be, I could still handle the approval process for the projects while Alfred will can assume the duties that would have to be done at the office. With this, everything will continue to run, and if anything comes up, the papers can be sent electronically or even physically aru."

"Now, that is why you are the director," Arthur laughed, a lopsided grin on his face. "Blimey good idea that is. Will it work?"

"As, long as Alfred's willing," Yao replied, looking up at the man standing next to him. "Alfred, are you okay with this aru?" He asked.

Seeing the other's upturned face, looking expectantly at him, Alfred who was already all for the idea was even more in support of the idea. Yao was so cute, a favor or two, or heck a few billion wouldn't be hurting him at all.

"Yao, for you. I'd do anything, you know that."

**xXx**

Afterwards, Alfred had left to race back to Filmari, and Yao was left blushing. Really, did Alfred have to word things that way? Across from the couch, Arthur coughed uncomfortably. It was really awkward to see his cousin flirting with his boss and long time friend. It was also growing increasingly anxious for as he began to become conscious of the fact that Kiku was in the room.

Yao, noticed his guest's cough and quickly remembered that he had not offered them tea yet. He was being a terrible host.

"Please, Kiku, sit down," Yao suggested, patting the open seat next to him on the couch. Kiku had been standing the whole time. The other sat down. Next, Yao broached the idea of tea.

"I am sorry for my lack of hospitality. I would normally be offering you tea aru. But –well, I am not able to at this moment."

"That, that's perfectly all right," Arthur replied cordially, minus all but bolting out of his seat. "Say, why don't I go and make some for all of us. Lend me your kitchen for a bit. I know where you keep the tea."

Before, Yao could even agree, Arthur had already stumbled robotically out of the room. Yao smothered a small laugh. If Arthur could ever stay in a room with Kiku long enough, he might actually have the opportunity to talk with him.

**xXx**

Kiku watched Arthur leave the room, and was a bit jealous of the fact that that man knew where Yao kept his tea. The implication of familiarity was not lost on him. Beside him, Yao yawned and stretched. The other's leg brushed against Kiku.

"Sorry aru," Yao apologized. "I'm a bit tired that's all."

"It is fine." Kiku replied.

For a second, both men tried to look for something to talk about. At the same moment, they started talking, cutting each other off.

"Kiku, is it – "

"Yao, ther – "

"Sorry, you first." Yao offered.

"No, it's nothing pressing. What were you going to say?" Kiku asked, a touch curious.

"I was wondering if you needed to go back to work or something." Yao explained. "I am fine now, so if there's some thing that you need to do, then feel free to go do it aru. Don't hold back on my account."

How perfect. Kiku, did have something to get done.

"Hai." He replied. "Actually, Yao, I am here on business."

"Oh?" Yao asked.

"Remember the pictures for a contact?"

Yao's mood darkened. He actually had forgotten. Right, Kiku was not here out of concern for his health. The other always had an ulterior motive. Fiscal gain was the creed by which Kiku had been taught to live by.

"Yes, I remember aru." Yao conceded. "Do you have all the material, negatives and electronic sources included?"

"Yes."

Kiku pulled out a manila envelop from the suitcase that he'd been carrying with him the entire time.

"Is it all there?" Yao asked, suspiciously eyeing the thing.

"My word in business," Kiku pledged. "And the number?"

"Upstairs, office room. Down the hall, to the right aru. Top drawer of my desk."

Kiku smiled tightly, before tossing Yao the envelope and all but running up the flight of stairs. He knew full well that the deal had lost him any grounds he had gained with Yao. Once again they were back to being simply business associates and nothing more. But, his dream lay upstairs in a desk drawer.

**xXx**

"Just then, did I just see Kiku _sprinting_ upstairs?" Arthur asked incredulously, as he returned with a tray of tea.

Arthur had also taken the liberty of bringing them some snacks. Thankfully, it was the ones Yao had already had in the house and not a concoction of a deathtrap (read as: scone).

"Yes. He went upstairs to my office to, uh, retrieve something that I needed aru."

Arthur glanced towards the stairs and resumed adding sugar to his own cup. It was a British habit that Yao found a bit perplexing. Why would anyone waste perfectly good tea by adding sugar to it? Yao always took the tea in its natural flavor, relying on the timing and the seasonal of tea harvest to determine the flavor. Arthur had left the hot water in for a bit too long.

"Sugar?" Arthur offered, out of habit.

"No, thank you" Yao declined.

Really, it was like their normal afternoon teatime together. Well, except for the fact that Arthur's hands were shaking, and he seemed to be wishing for super vision to see what was going on upstairs. Two thuds had been heard overhead, but Yao didn't feel right to send his guest to go check up on his other guest. Really, things were very difficult at the moment. His newly returned cell phone rang. Alfred. "Work calls" Yao explained as he picked up his phone and gestured to Arthur to just make himself at home.

**xXx**

At Filmari, Alfred was being run ragged. Okay, not quite but still he was doing a lot of work that he wasn't used to doing. Well, actually his own job back in the States was pretty much the equivalent of Yao's, but he had just mostly delegated it to his secretaries to handle. The paperwork portion had been easy. There was the mandatory processing papers, which he skimmed and then stamped for approval and then the other paperwork that did require analysis. He also had to call Yao and quickly direct the calls from the department heads to Yao. He was going to completely sidestep that one. Those bureaucratic types would only delay what really needed getting done.

Then the harder stuff started coming through. Some of the commercial productions needed his guidance, and he'd need to meet up with the commercial director, who Alfred soon realized was still gone on vacation. Damn. Alfred had to make an executive decision and did the next best thing. He placed Francis, the company movie director, in charge of commercials for indefinitely, at least until Antonio could be located. The Frenchman had been overjoyed to hear this and had started making out with the person standing next to him –some blond guy who Alfred hadn't noticed. He chose to ignore them.

Later, he had to have a joint meeting with the commercial department and the accounting to work out the budget for the commercials, now under new management. It had started off very shakily, as the first question that came out of most of the people's mouths were "What are you doing here?" followed by "Where's Yao?" He'd given an explanation and most seemed hesitant but accepting of his temporary position. However, the German accountant head was a different matter.

As the meeting went on, Ludwig was not as unconvinced as he appeared to be. Rather he was just suppressing an urge to order everybody to get to the point. Efficiency. Efficiency was far below par to the normal meetings that Yao held. It might have been more fun, but Ludwig was one of the few calculating possible overtime. Beside him, Feliciano seemed to be having a good time.

"Ve, Ludwig. Did you hear that?" Feliciano asked, in his particular airy voice.

"What? The part about how commercials will be directed by Bonnefoy?" Ludwig asked.

"No, the part about how Yao's sick!" the other replied. "Isn't that terrible?"

Ludwig quickly agreed. Yes, it was bad. For more than just Yao it seemed. Alfred had started drawing undecipherable diagrams on the large screen in the front. Stick people with identification by caricaturing peculiar traits of each of them. With a small bit of annoyance, Ludwig noticed that he was being identified by a frowny face and chin while Feliciano was IDed by his cowlick. "Hey, Ludwig, let's go visit Yao later, okay?" Feliciano suggested.

A declining response was on Ludwig's lips until he turned and saw the other's expectant expression. Looking away, a little pink, Ludwig nodded his consent.

"Ooh, what is this?" Francis, cut into the conversation. "Are you two love birds planning something? Honhonhon~"

The laugh grated on the German's ears. Immune to the French director's lewdness, or oblivious to it, Feliciano replied.

"We were going to visit Yao after work to see if he's okay. Ve."

Xiang who was also there at the meeting, reacted to this but that went unnoticed. He had always been quiet and wore a perpetual poker face that only changed once in a blue moon. No one had been watching for a reaction from him.

"Oh, yea. That's a great idea, guys" Alfred cheered. He'd wanted a good reason to pop back to Yao's. Now, he had one. "Anyways, let's move on. If we decrease the budget of the dog food commercial, then we can relocate sums to the yogurt commercial for LIBERTY. Then with that, Juan, how much do you normally use for casting calls? Models…"

Ludwig just sighed, deep and slow. He was pretty sure it was a conflict of interest to have the LIBERTY spokesperson put in charge of the LIBERTY Co. yogurt commercial. He'd have to make sure to run it by Yao tonight. Jotting down notes by habit, Ludwig died slowly as the meeting continued to drag. Overtime loomed in the near future.

**xXx**

Upstairs, in Yao's home office. Kiku found the business card: Heracles. He could barely breathe. He pushed the drawer back in and quickly slipped the card into a pocket. It was his. It was his. It was finally his! In his haste to leave, Kiku knocked over a large decorative globe sitting on Ivan's desk. With a metallic thud, it hit the ground and rolled under the table.

Bending down, Kiku hoped that Ivan wasn't particularly attached to the thing and prayed that it wasn't broken or damaged. Climbing under the desk, Kiku fished around for the thing. His hand met metal, and he pulled it out. In the light, he breathed a sigh of relief. There wasn't even a scratch. Kiku was about to get up, when something under the desk caught his eye: it was a small semicircular hole in the floor, barely noticeable even with the proximity. Undoubtedly hidden to anyone who would be standing or unaware of its presence. It was roughly big enough to slip two fingers in and lift from... An old pirate movie popped into Kiku's mind. He scoffed: was he really thinking that treasure or a map was hidden under there? If it were Ivan trying to hide something then it would be vodka or weapons…or maybe even scandalous pictures of Yao. Kiku had assumed right away that Ivan was hiding whatever it was from Yao.

Placing the globe back onto the table, Kiku gave a quick glance to the door before dropping back down on his knees. Stretching out a hand, he anxiously put his fingers in the hole and lifted. It was stuck at first and then gave way with a small creak as a square roughly the size of a large computer screen was lifted, revealing a small storage compartment that was about a foot deep. The inside was filled to the brim with bottles of clear liquid. Kiku took one that was about a quarter filled and opened it for a sniff. His nose wrinkled, and he was disappointed. Vodka. He'd stumbled upon Ivan's secret vodka stash. He also a bit relieved. What had he been expecting? A gun, knives, torture devices..? Okay, kind of. With nothing else hidden there, Kiku swiftly put the bottle back in and closed the compartment.

In his haste to return to the others, Kiku hit his head on the table getting up. The globe fell onto the floor with a thud, again. Rubbing his head, Kiku placed the ornament back onto the desk before returning back downstairs.

**xXx**

Back in the living room, Kiku found Yao and Arthur sipping tea together and talking together colloquially. Arthur had been in the middle of describing something, probably a game of cricket from what Kiku caught, before the man noticed his entry. The words then apparently died in his throat.

Arthur swallowed, now extremely conscious of how he was talking. He stumbled, and he didn't really know what he was going to say next. He could feel his face warming. Luckily, Yao saved him.

"Kiku, come. Sit down and enjoy a cup," Yao invited, with a warm smile. "Arthur was just telling me about a cricket tournament his young cousin Peter had been in aru."

With a nod, Kiku settled down into the seat next to Yao's while Arthur poured him a steaming cup of tea. He took a sip. The tea had been left in the water for too long, but it was still drinkable.

"Sugar?" Arthur offered.

"No thank you," Kiku declined.

It was deja vu for Arthur. "So, you were telling Yao about your cousin's game?" Kiku asked.

"Uh, yes." Arthur replied, a bit stunned.

Across from him, Arthur caught Yao giving him an encouraging smile, and he drew some strength from it. "In fact, my cousin Peter is quite the lad. Anyways, in this particular game…"

It had been a good story, and Kiku soon learned that the Brit had also been an avid athlete when he was younger. Then, Yao had started telling Arthur a story about a track meet in high school. Kiku listened mostly. He knew firsthand, how great an athlete Yao was. He'd been there after all.

Yao had been very involved in high school: track, tennis, band, choir, diving, student council, academic competitions, the list went on and on. It felt nostalgic being able to hear Yao's occasional laughter, and drink tea with him. Yao had even surprised him with a retelling of one of _his_ sports stories, not that Kiku had a lot to begin with. When, Yao had finished with the part about how Kiku had ended up sneezing at the critical part, jeopardizing his win, Kiku was smiling. Arthur noticed this too.

They'd soon gone through an entire pot of tea, and Arthur offered to make another. They watched him leave for the kitchen; that left only Kiku and Yao in the living room.

"It's been a while since we've had tea together," Yao started, seeming to read Kiku's thoughts.

"Hai. It has been." Kiku agreed.

There was a silence, and then Yao continued.

"I…wish we could've had tea together last spring aru."

"Me too." Kiku agreed. "You're tea was always brewed so impeccably."

This made Yao smile. He knew that Kiku also took his own tea making seriously, almost reverentially.

"Maybe we could start enjoying tea again sometime."

"Perhaps."

There was another lapse, until Yao started on a different topic. It a jump back to their present relationship with each other.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Yao asked.

"Yes. It was exactly where you said it would be." Kiku confirmed, not missing a beat. "I am sorry to say though that I may have knocked over Ivan's globe a few times."

Yao blinked at that and then let out a laugh.

"I heard from down here aru." He chuckled. "Really Kiku, that's quite unlike you. Of course, a lot of things recently have been not like yourself."

"I am not myself these days. Sometimes I find myself wondering at my own actions."

Beside him, Yao nodded as if he could decipher Kiku's meaning from those vague words.

"Everyone has those moments. Change is always bewildering."

Kiku smiled at Yao's response. If he hadn't known better, he might have accused the other of giving him a memorized fortune-cookie fortune. But with Yao, the other really thought like that. Yao had always had a philosophical bent since they were small. With a inexplicable jolt, Kiku remembered the stash of vodka and Ivan's secret compartment. All of a sudden Kiku felt a need to disclose the information to Yao.

"Anyways, Yao. I noticed Ivan's taste in décor while I was upstairs."

Yao lifted a brow at this, prompting Kiku to continue. "It is intriguing different."

A smile, Yao knew Kiku meant "different from his own."

"Yes, it is, very different from my own tastes." He admitted, looking around at the furniture. "It does take a bit of getting used to, but after a while, I have adjusted to it aru. I've even added some things."

"Of course," said Kiku, he hadn't missed the colorful additions to the otherwise gray interior. "Do you suppose it is a cultural aspect of his?" he asked.

"Hmm…maybe," Yao smiled. "But, I think it's more of his childhood than his culture that impacted his décor."

"Then, I assume that you are quite familiar with Russian culture at this point?"

Yao shook his head.

"No, no aru. I only understand a bit" He replied modestly. "There is so much more that I need to learn."

"I understand Russian culture indulges in alcohol, right?"

Yao felt as if he'd been dunked into a tub of cold water. Did Kiku know? Xiang had known. He swallowed, and stopped himself from over analyzing. It could've been a simple question out of curiosity.

"Yes, in generality of course." Yao replied, trying to laugh. It came out a bit strangled, unnatural.

"Vodka, right?"

Now, Yao's throat seemed to be constricting; he nodded.

"Of course, Ivan doesn't drink." Yao informed, taking comfort in his own words. "Not anymore at least. He gave it up a while ago for our relationship. He used to drink like a stereotype, but for me he stopped aru."

He felt warm inside now, as he added a "because of love" sentence to the end in his mind.

Yao sincerely believed it. Ivan had done it for him, stayed strong. He'd seen the early withdrawal symptoms, the shaking the chills. If that wasn't love, Yao didn't know what was. It probably was the strongest affirmation of Ivan's feelings towards him, the willingness to overcome another one of his demons to be with him. It had been the only thing that could've convinced Yao to return to Ivan after…the incident.

"I'm not so sure about that." Kiku whispered.

Yao went cold, numbingly cold. His fingers turned in to dead flesh, his breath stopped in his lungs, somewhere between leaving and entering. He was a fish out of water, gaping, gasping, floundering and seeking the water. Even his own voice sounded foreign: it was harsh, rough, cold like whetting a knife or like the worn out ladies at bars. Cigarette raspy and alcohol scorched, into a worn roughness, raw.

"What do you mean?"

He hadn't even formulated the question.

He wasn't even conscious of decided to ask.

He didn't even want to know the answer.

Because, it couldn't be true.

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**Please Review!**

**YAO: You are sounding desperate aru.  
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**ME: No, I'm not *looks away*  
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**IVAN: Care to explain why I am not in this chapter? Kolkolkolkolkol  
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**ME: I promise you'll be in the next one! Please don't hurt me~!**

**YAO: Anyways, FallingBreathless. Just have Ivan tell the readers to review. *aside: cause he's freaking intimidating aru*  
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**ME: ... Ivan?  
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**IVAN: Nyet.  
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**YAO: *sigh* Ivan, please help out aru.  
**

**IVAN: Da. Okay, for you Yao-Yao. People, review now, okay? Kolkolkol *Evil smile* *evil aura* *brandishing pipe* *background music of screams*  
**

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****Hahahaha. Beware, Ivan will find you! Review!

Loads of love - FallingBreathless


	19. Disaster in the Making

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter 19: Disaster in the Making**

**~FallingBreathless~**

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_Finally updated! Seriously, the only thing that kept me writing and from dropping this were the reviews! ;_; __Thank you Lily Icerem , blind-alchemist, Clockeater, and so many others! *is touched* _

_The real issue I have is that in my mind the story has already ended? I have everything in the plot worked out already, and I even have an idea for the ending, but I will not spoil it for you! Anyways, read and enjoy!_

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"I found a stash of vodka hidden upstairs in the office room. Unless, you drink vodka, Yao, it has to be Ivan's. Some of the bottles were open and the contents emptied."

Yao shook his head in disbelief. This action somehow frustrated Kiku, making him even more adamant about convincing the other. "They're hidden under a floor panel under his desk. I found it when I knocked over the globe on his desk and had to pick it up… Yao, he lied to you."

"No he didn't," Yao denied. "You're making this up aru. Who would have a hidden compartment like that?" He demanded. "Ivan hasn't touched alcohol. I would know; I live with him." Kiku stared stonily at Yao.

"It's the truth. You can go check for yourself if you don't want to take my word for it."

Before Yao could say anything else, Arthur had returned with a new steaming pot of tea and a tray of snacks. He shot Kiku an accusatory glare, and the conversation was over.

**xXx**

Ivan had been at work for some time already. Feliks had been especially annoying, complaining about him coming in late today. It wasn't as if he had anything substantial to hold against Ivan. After all, Ivan was handled most of the workload in his sector. Feliks was in the administrative department, which meant he didn't contribute much to the actual running of the hospital. Plus, after Ivan had gotten there, he'd been working nonstop.

He relieved the other guy who'd been doing the early morning shift, who was more than glad to finally leave and sink into bed. Ivan had just finished an open-heart surgery, peeling off his blood covered white gloves and tossing them into the waste bin on his way out.

It was his lunch break already.

As he entered the cafeteria and went through the food line, his thoughts drifted back to Yao and how the other was managing. He'd left a bunch of food with Yao this morning, but he was still a bit worried on what the other was doing for lunch. Frankly, he was wondering if Yao was eating or not.

He sighed and plopped down into a seat. The conversation at the table suddenly died off, and Ivan glanced up curiously. The people who he worked with had pretty much already gotten used to him.

"Something up?" One of the young interns asked, laughing squeakily. "Sighing is a rarity with you around here."

"Nyet. It is nothing." Ivan smiled, picking up his sandwich and giving in a quick bite.

As the conversation at the table resumed again, Ivan devoured his sandwich and excused himself and left the cafeteria. He was going to have to call Yao or he wasn't going to be able to focus the rest of the day. Returning to his office, Ivan closed the door behind him for some privacy; they'd call if they needed him.

Sitting down in his black leather chair, he hit speed dial.

Yao's cell was unavailable.

Ivan frowned. He dialed the house. This time the phone rang and Ivan waited. After a few rings with no one picking up, Ivan realized that Yao, who was stuck in bed, wouldn't be able to get to a phone. He hung up without leaving a message.

Having no pressing matters to deal with, Ivan got unusually bored. That didn't happen much. He glanced at the clock, saw that he had another 45 minutes left of his lunch break, and decided to make the trip to Filmari, just to see how the company was operating over there.

**xXx**

Arriving at Filmari, Ivan parked his vehicle and proceeded up to the front of the building, and pushed his way past the glass, front doors and entered the lobby. A few curious employees eyed him as he went up to the front desk.

"Hello. Welcome to Filmari. How may I help you?" Asked the receptionist brightly, looking up with her spectacles.

"Nyet. I will not be needing your services." Ivan declined.

Unsure of how to proceed with the strange visitor, the receptionist licked her lips nervously, wondering if she should hit the police button under the desk. The guy didn't fit the profile of the usual visitors of the company, but then again. She couldn't be sure; she'd only started working there for a few months. For all she knew, he could be an important, if not eccentrically dressed, business client. She hit the other button to notify one of the higher ups and returned to doing the rest of her job.

Meanwhile, Ivan, who hadn't even bothered to change out of his hospital coat, surveyed the room. To his dismay, he didn't spot Arthur Kirkland, which was strange. The British man was essentially Yao's right hand man. If he wasn't here, then perhaps things weren't going well with the company.

"Ivan?"

The addressed turned to see Alfred F. Jones making his way towards him. "What are you doing here?" Alfred asked incredulously.

"That should be my question." Ivan returned, a tad menacingly.

"I'm covering for Yao," Alfred supplied, unable to keep out the note of superiority from his voice. Ivan didn't miss that and bristled in reaction.

"Oh really," Ivan replied coldly. "Well, Yao asked _me_ to check up on Filmari _for him_. He must not trust the _temporary management_ that it has been placed under." Ivan smiled, and the other grimaced in response.

"Well, none of this would have happened if it weren't for you." Alfred replied acidly.

It was a low shot, but it smote nevertheless. Ivan, unable to argue against that point, glowered, but the glower then slowly turned to a smug smile as Ivan distinctly noted that it was _he _and not Alfred who was with Yao, and thus "responsible."

After a moment of silence, Alfred scratched the back of his neck. The situation was uncomfortably awkward to say the least. As much as he'd like to have a good argument with the Russian bastard, they were essentially both there on Yao's request.

He cleared his throat.

"Shouldn't you be checking around, then?" He asked. "Although I don't think you'll find anything to complain about. I've been working my ass off running this place, and Yao has been calling me with instructions the whole time."

It was a bit of an exaggeration to say the "whole time," but Yao had indeed called Alfred once or twice to question him about a few certain documents. Ivan just continued maintaining the placid smile on his face that deceptively masked entirely opposing emotions.

"Da. Let's just get this done with."

**xXx**

After seeing that Yao's office was intact and that the different departments were operating as normal, Ivan's lunch break ended, and he returned to the hospital. This left Alfred sighing out his relief in the Filmari lounge.

"Hey, what's with that creep showing his face around here?" Im Yong Yong complained, plopping down into the open seat next to Alfred.

"Yao asked him to check on the company for him," the American explained.

"Where is Yao?" Xiang asked, startling Alfred, as he had soundlessly arrived at the same time as the other Asian. "I assume that since you have been covering for him, you must know."

This was quite uncharacteristically verbose of Xiang. He'd been worried about Yao since this morning; his mind had automatically jumped to the worst possible conclusions (e.g. kidnapping, stalker, accident, etc.), and he had half-convinced himself to skip work and go out searching for the other several times already.

Alfred shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm in the know. I paid Yao a visit earlier today, and he's pretty much fine –though not as mobile after he took a fall down the stairs though."

"Wha-" Both Xiang and the Yong Soo sputtered; their eyes widening.

"It's nothing serious," Alfred hastily explained. "He got a few minor bruises and scratches, that's about it. He'd be back here with us if we had allowed it. He'll be back by tomorrow, I'd bet on it."

As Alfred was reassuring the two, the brown-haired accountant/secretary followed by the German accounting manager had also joined to listen in on the conversation; another guy, similar looking to the secretary, trailed after them along with a tanner beaming man. Alfred didn't recognize either of them, but their expressions were strangely at polar opposites of each other.

"Ve~ Yao fell down the stairs, so he couldn't come today?" Feliciano asked, concerned and wanting to reconfirm what he had just heard.

"Don't you have ears, Feli?! That damn bastard over there just said that Yao fucking fell down the stairs when he was off visiting," The other brown-haired individual yelled.

To this, the addressed, started blubbering a bit.

"I'm sorry, Romano…"

"Alfred said that Yao had fallen down the stairs, but it wasn't serious, so he'll be back by tomorrow," Ludwig supplied, summarizing.

"That's what I fucking said you damn potato bastard," Romano muttered. "Also, Feliciano, stop blubbering. It's embarrassing for me to watch as a brother."

The other did stop crying, though not because of his hotheaded brother. He had just realized something.

"Oh," Feliciano gasped. "Is that where Kiku and Arthur went, visiting Yao? I hope they are fine too," he added brightly.

"I am sure they are fine," Ludwig soothed. "They are most likely assisting Yao and otherwise caring for him as we speak."

"I'm going over to check up on Yao!" Yong Soo declared, enthusiastically bounding up from his seat. "After all, nursing was invented in Korea, you know! I'll bring him some good kimchi and have him being his normal self before you know it da-ze!"

"I am going also," Xiang murmured.

"Let's go too, Ludwig!" Feliciano joined in, tugging on the German's sleeve.

Turning a little pink, Ludwig assented, even though he suspected that having everyone visiting would be imposing upon Yao.

"I guess I'll go too then to protect my younger brother from that fucking potato bastard," Romano growled irritably.

"If Romano is going, I will also follow," the cheery man who had been standing next to the hothead announced. "By the way, I am Antonio, Filmari's commercial advisor. I just got back from vacation, and this here is my sweet Romano" he introduced, grabbing the now flushed Italian by the waist.

"I am Alfred. Alfred F. Jones from the LIBERTY Company. I'm temporarily helpi-"

"Oi! Where are you putting your damn hands you perverted Spanish bastard! What have I fucking told you,you…you moron, you siesta-brained, no-good leech!"

Alfred was stunned as the drama just continued to play out, and he watched as the Spaniard took it all good-naturedly, the words just rolling off him. The guy must have been a saint, or deaf and blinded by love, or an idiot, Alfred concluded.

Finally, Alfred just gave a hearty laugh and dismissed this as a normal occurrence and returned to doing Yao's job.

"Right, then, it's settled." He announced with a grin. "After work, we'll all be heading to pay Yao a get-well visit."

**xXx**

As they began to disassemble to return to doing their jobs, a syrupy voice came from across the room.

"Oui, mes beautés, what are you all gathered here for?"

It was the flamboyant Francis Bonnefoy, this time accessorized with the blacked, steel-tipped boots with 1-inch, platform heels that clacked like gun shots as he strutted over. "Are we planning a rendezvous without Francis?"

Somehow the addressed group had shared a ubiquitous shuddered just as the Frenchman had said "mes beautés." Francis was…well…a touchy-feely, perverted, French guy. No one, there at least, wanted any of that.

Ludwig quickly explained the situation, and Francis jumped aboard the bandwagon that was headed to Yao's place. "Of course, Matthew, you're going too, right?" Francis asked.

To the group's surprise, they noticed that Francis had not come alone. Funny, they had not noticed the Canadian makeup artist at all: he was like a chameleon (modestly dressed), disappearing against the abuse of color that covered the other –or maybe he had been standing behind the other the entire time(?)

("Um sure," Matthew replied. "I am also concerned about Yao. And I didn't really have any other plans anyways.")

"Wonderful," Francis declared. "It's important after all that we visit. I can imagine that Briton trying to poison poor Yao with his so-called cooking, and I would not be able to stomach it should eyebrows be given a promotion in lieu of Yao eating his cooking. It really would be effective blackmail!"

**xXx**

About half an hour before five, Alfred used Filmari's broadcast system and announced that everyone could go home of the day. He did not run this by Yao, but he figured 30 minutes wouldn't make that much of a difference anyways. Plus, he wanted to go see Yao. After listening to the other's voice for much of the past five or six hours, Alfred felt as if he couldn't stay away from the other much longer.

Grabbing his business jacket off of the back of a chair, he quickly gathered the reports that needed to be passed to the other, instructed a secretary to take care of the rest of organizing papers and placing them back into the various binders and folders, and ran straight to his truck.

(Ms. Pearl's opinion of the charismatic, young American had plummeted as she watched him disappear out of the room. He was so fast that had she'd blinked, she might have thought he'd simply vanished. She let out a groan as she saw the mess he'd left her. Judging by the papers scattered about, it would take more than ten minutes to clean up. She had just called her boyfriend to meet her at a nearby restaurant. Fudge. Being secretary to the American sucked; she hoped Yao would be back soon.)

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**Hope you enjoyed this update! **

**Please leave me a comment and lite up my spirits. Inspire me to write...as I really only do write for reviews. :3**

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**_SPOILERS! (Yes, for my own fanfic. Now please stop reading if you want to to be surprised by the next chapter or possibly 2-3 chapter shenanigans. _**

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**_Okay, well everyone goes to Yao's and has dinner. Ivan returns to Filmari to find it deserted...trying to call through to Yao and here's noises...rushes home. Wonder what he finds :P_**

**_Yours,_**

**_FallingBreathless_**


	20. Here Come the Guests

**The Smell of Vodka**

**Chapter 20: Here Come the Guests**

**~FallingBreathless~**

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_I can't thank you enough for all the support. Happy Thanksgiving, and let's hope I survive finals week ;_;_

_APPLAUSE to ~Candybook, ~soren453, and TheBatgirl31 for reviewing and keeping me interested in writing this fanfic...because in my mind I've already finished the plot. It's a challenge to actually put it in type...hurrhurr. ^^;; THANK YOU. EVERYONE ELSE, THANK THEM AS WELL. xDDD_

_Here goes nothing..._

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Alfred led the procession to Yao's house. He pulled his Ford into the driveway, and the vehicle driven by Ludwig pulled in along side –Feliciano waving at him from the passenger's seat with a calmly smiling Antonio, Romano was glowering in the front. Behind, the cranberry colored Toyota containing Yong Soo and Xiang and the red Ferrari containing Francis and Marthew filed in after.

"Well, here it is!" Alfred announced.

"Yao, lives here?" Francis added skeptically as he gave the house a quick up and down.

The house was large, but rather bland for his taste. With Yao's income, the Chinese man could have gotten something much more luxurious.

"I'm afraid so," Xiang deadpanned. "Though this isn't his house, he's just living here for the time being."

"He's living with that Russian bear?" Francis chuckled, "Such a waste."

("Francis…" Matthew admonished. "You shouldn't call people names. There is nothing wrong with the house, and it has a very nice neighborhood.")

"Damn straight," Alfred agreed, barely keeping a growl out of his voice as he rounded Ludwig's car and made his way to the front door. The others followed after. Right before he rang the doorbell, Alfred thought better of it and instead whipped out his cell.

**xXx**

In the house, Yao's cell phone rang. Picking it up, Yao glanced at the ID and promptly brought it to his ear.

"Hello, Alfred, " Yao said, glancing at time, "Did you lock up?"

"Yes," the other replied.

"Great," Yao sighed happily into the phone. "Oh, wait. Was there anything else that you needed to get to me for tomorrow?"

"Yes, a few documents. I'll bring them over for you."

"Thank you," Yao smiled, and he was genuinely grateful towards the other. "I really mean it aru. If there's anything that I could do, I'd like to pay you back for helping me so much." Yao offered.

"No problem," said the over, voice coming through lightheartedly. "Any time."

There was a brief pause where neither Yao nor Alfred knew what to say. Then, Alfred cleared his throat. "So…that offer. Can I cash it in?"

"Now? Uh, sure." Yao replied. "If it's in my power, then I will do my best to carry through aru."

There was a slight pause before the other spoke again. The words still sounded confident, but they were a tad more subdued than the American's general tone.

"Then how about dinner, tonight?" Alfred asked. "I'm at the door."

**xXx**

"Hold on a second," Yao said, covering the phone with a hand as he moved it away from his ear.

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, Yao contemplated whether or not Alfred was pulling his leg. Would the other seriously call, standing outside of his house? His mind seemed to think it was a possibility; it was the American after all, and he could be rather unconventional at times.

"Something bothering you?" Arthur asked, noticing the host's tension.

Yao just sighed and shot the Briton a perplexed look.

"A bit aru. Say, could you check the front door. I might be expecting a guest shortly," Yao replied.

"Alright," Arthur agreed amicably.

Setting down his teacup, he got up from his seat and headed for the front door.

**xXx**

As Alfred waited, he regretted not picking up flowers on the way there. He made a note to do so next time, but it was too late for this visit.

"Hey there, babe" Alfred greeted with a cocky grin as the door opened…revealing a shocked Arthur Kirkland, and soon the shock dissolved into a scowl and the thick brows lowered.

"What did you call me, you git?" he demanded, standing in the doorframe –for all purposes- like a fire-breathing dragon guarding the keep.

Letting out a hearty laugh, Alfred dodged the question and just gave the other a winning smile. It didn't quite work on the Brit, but it was worth a shot.

"You going to let us in or not?"

"I suppose, I have to," Arthur grumbled, looking past the American to see a good number of the people he worked with at the door.

He moved aside and let the group inside, calling behind him so as to be heard by Yao in the living room. "The guests are already here. I'm letting them in."

Guests? There was a light frown gracing Yao's features at hearing Arthur's announcement. He thought it was just going to be Alfred. He wasn't expecting anyone else, and foremost, he had not called Ivan yet about having people over today.

The sound of shoes being removed and people greeted Yao's ears, and he tried to stand up, only to have a sharp pain, force him to drop back down into his seat.

Kiku glanced over at Yao, the other looked quite anxious. He set down his own cup of tea and was about to propose that he go check on the visitors before a jovial voice snatched his attention.

"Yao!" The American called, bounding into the room.

He was only wearing his button-up shirt, having discarded his suit and tie –which he all but tossed onto the couch's armrest with his briefcase, before striding over to where Yao was seated with outstretched arms, as if expecting an embrace or planning to pull the other into one.

"Alfred?" Yao gasped, not sure what to do to respond to the other.

Seeing the other's hesitation, Alfred let his arms drop and instead settled for giving the other a quick peck to the cheek, causing both Yao and Kiku, who had been watching the proceedings, to blush. "Aiyah aru!" Yao squeaked, his hand moving up to cover his cheek; his eyes shooting the other a piercing glare, that left the American completely unaffected.

"A lot of people at work were worried about you," Alfred started.

Then, seemingly right on cue, Ludwig followed by the two Italian brothers Felicano and Romano, Antonio, Xiang and Im Yong Soo, and France appeared.

"Aniki!" The Korean shouted upon setting eyes on Yao. He, much like the American, ran over, but unlike Alfred showed no restraint and tackle-hugged Yao into his seat, knocking the air out of the elder and causing Yao to hiss softly in pain. "I missed you so, sooooo much! I came here to help you get better!"

"Right," Yao managed to choke out, and suddenly the other's weight was lifted from him. Glancing up, he met the deadpan expression of Xiang, and Yao smiled in response, thanking the other for yanking Yong Soo off of him. The other simply gave a little nod as a small smile lightened his severe features.

"I hope we are not imposing," Ludwig said, "The circumstances were a bit vague, so we were concerned and wanted to see you with our own eyes and wish you a speedy recovery."

"It's no trouble at all," Yao replied out of politeness. "Please, do not remain standing there. Have a seat aru," he said, gesturing to the living room. Then he turned toward Kiku and smiled, getting the other's attention.

"Kiku, could you bring some chairs over from the kitchen?"

The other assented and left to find some more seats. Yao smiled a bit to himself; it was weird having the Japanese man being so cooperative. But then again, Kiku had reached his objectives, hadn't he? Yao probably had nothing that Kiku really wanted anymore, and that could have been why their relationship had subtly changed.

He still didn't know why Kiku had been so desperate to get the contact information of a certain Heracles Karpusi, but Yao was determined to find out.

Though, it would have to wait until after his unexpected guests left.

**xXx**

"Pass the bok choy."

"What's that?" Alfred asked, honestly confused as he glanced in the direction that Im Yong Soo had gestured.

"It's a leafy green vegetable aru."

"Ah, the thing that looks like jumbo cabbage. I just hope it tastes better" the American laughed, as he grabbed the bulky plant and handed it off to Kiku, who had subtly nudged Yong Soo away from the stove.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Yao called worriedly from the living room. "We could still go and order some takeout instead."

"Really, now," Francis tut-tutted from the nearby chair. "If you were so worried about them making dinner, then why not let me cook?"

("I would have been more than happy to cook, also," Matthew added quietly.)

"See, here!" Arthur cut in before Yao even had the chance to open his mouth. "I don't know why no one would even _let _me into the kitchen. I was just going to help make dinner and maybe even make us all dessert."

Saying his bit, the Briton harrumphed and wedged himself deeper into the couch cushions.

"We could still get takeout from somewhere aru..."

Yao asserted as a last ditch effort. His reputation as a good host was getting destroyed; his guests were the ones cooking him dinner, while he was lazing about on the couch!

"I can see why no one would let a Brit in to the kitchen, but how about me?" Francis demanded, his voice rising with a sense of injustice. "Truly, you must know how well I cook. The French are well known for their f-"

"Excuse me?!" Arthur interjected, jumping up from the furniture. "What are you insinuating, you bloody frog?!" He demanded. "Have the perfumes killed so many of your brain cells that you don't even know Gordon Ramsay, you git?!"

"Oh, pssh! That man is just a bag of hot air that would have been better used blowing bagpipes." Francis retorted, a grin sneaking its way onto his features.

It was fun to bait Arthur.

"Wha-what! How dare you –how dare you! Ramsay, is -what?!" Arthur sputtered, face reddening with anger.

"You heard me, mon ami anglais."

"Oh, that's it!" Arthur exclaimed. "That's it!" He shouted as he made to punch Francis, "You've gone too far! You can make jabs at me, but no one, and I repeat, _no one _belittles Ramsay!"

"Really? You want to fight, is it?" Roared the Frenchman as he mimicked the other's fighting stance. "I'll show you a personal revision of the Hundred Years' War!"

"What's that you git?" Arthur spat. "Is that supposed to be some declaration of war? Just so you know, English armies _crushed_ you Frenchies."

"You insolent, British man! I am going to b—"

"You French pastry, man-lady, drunkard. I'll t—"

They both yelled, making with fists clenched, ready to deck the other. Arthur made to swing first, fist slamming into the other's stupid curls and dislocating the other's jaw…or that was the idea, however, watching as the yelling escalate both Yao and Ludwig, who had been watching with a look of matching perplexed misery, had simultaneously extended a leg to keep the two bickering adults apart.

It ended with Arthur closely studying the floor, scrambling to gather up the remainder of his dignity. Francis' laughter didn't help.

"Are you alright?" "My apologies."

Yao and Ludwig offered at the same time. Neither one had intended for Arthur to fall on his face. Ludwig helped other man off of the floor, while Yao narrowed his eyes at Francis for the other to shut up.

While Arthur's nose was tad red from a rug burn, he was not physically worse for wear, but his pride had taken a larger hit; he slumped grumpily back onto the couch.

"…"

The Briton was sulking, but Yao had bigger issues to deal with at the moment –let alone even bigger ones to deal with in general: Alfred, Ivan, a possible vodka stash, figuring out what Kiku was after, watching his own weight…the list went on and on.

"Ludwig, could you go and check to see how dinner preparations are going aru?"

With a nod of the head, Ludwig assented and left the living room.

Yao sighed. "Francis, will you please sit back down."

With an ostentatious sniff, the Frenchman settled back into his seat.

"Do not say I didn't warn you when dinner turns out to be an unpalatable fiasco."

* * *

**Leave a review if you care (or want to be eternally memorialized in the beginning author blabberings. Haha)!**

Food for thought: **Let me know in your review if you're cheering for Ivan, Alfred, other, or no one to end up with Yao! Request/challenge me for a short story giving me a theme, story genre and two characters. Tell me your favorite color. **

**~FallingBreathless**


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